Sugawara Norio, Yasui-Furukori Norio, Maruo Kazushi, Shimoda Kazutaka, Sumiyoshi Tomiki
Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Translational Medical Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan.
Department of Psychiatry, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, Mibu, Tochigi, Japan.
J Alzheimers Dis. 2022;85(2):667-674. doi: 10.3233/JAD-210680.
Taking care of patients with dementia is often stressful and exhausting. The burden placed on caregivers (CGs) for care recipients with dementia (CRDs) has been reported to cause psychological distress.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychological distress experienced by CGs for CRDs and identify the sociodemographic factors affecting that distress.
We utilized the 2013 Comprehensive Survey of the Living Conditions for CRDs and CGs. Linked data from 643 pairs of CRDs and CGs were extracted. Serious psychological distress experienced by CGs was measured by Kessler's Psychological Distress scale (K6) with a cutoff point of 13. Factors predictive of psychological distress were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression analysis with the forward selection method.
Overall, the mean age of the CGs was 63.5±11.6 years, and 5.3%(34/643) experienced serious psychological distress. Male sex of CRDs, knowing how to access consulting services, spending almost all day for nursing care, and having subjective symptoms within a few days of completing the survey were associated with having serious psychological distress, while older age, participating in shopping as part of the nursing activities, and having their own house were related to freedom from serious psychological distress.
Clinicians should be aware of the risk factors for psychological distress in CGs and consider providing support to reduce the distress imposed by modifiable factors. Further studies are warranted to examine whether such efforts would improve the mental health of CGs for CRDs.
照顾痴呆患者往往压力重重且令人疲惫不堪。据报道，痴呆症护理对象（CRD）的照料者（CG）所承受的负担会导致心理困扰。
本研究旨在评估CRD的CG所经历的心理困扰，并确定影响该困扰的社会人口学因素。
我们利用了2013年CRD和CG生活状况综合调查。提取了来自643对CRD和CG的关联数据。CG所经历的严重心理困扰通过凯斯勒心理困扰量表（K6）进行测量，临界值为13。使用向前选择法的多变量逻辑回归分析评估心理困扰的预测因素。
总体而言，CG的平均年龄为63.5±11.6岁，5.3%（34/643）经历了严重心理困扰。CRD为男性、知道如何获取咨询服务、几乎全天进行护理以及在完成调查后几天内有主观症状与严重心理困扰相关，而年龄较大、参与购物作为护理活动的一部分以及拥有自己的房子与无严重心理困扰相关。
临床医生应意识到CG心理困扰的风险因素，并考虑提供支持以减少可改变因素带来的困扰。有必要进一步研究此类努力是否会改善CRD的CG的心理健康状况。
