Kumari Bharti, Chakrawarty Avinash, Rao Abhijith Rarajam, Ajmera Yamini, Chatterjee Prasun, Khan Maroof Ahmad, Dey Aparajit B
Department of Geriatric Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
Department Bio-statistics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
J Family Med Prim Care. 2025 May;14(5):1728-1734. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1069_24. Epub 2025 May 31.
Caregiver burden arises as a natural response to the stress associated with caregiving, encompassing a wide range of psychological, physical, social, and financial challenges. The aim of this study is to evaluate the extent of caregiver burden experienced by carers of cognitively impaired patients and the coping strategies employed by the caregivers.
This cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2019 and March 2020 in the memory clinic of the Department of Geriatric Medicine and 116 patients aged ≥60 years with cognitive complaints and their caregivers were recruited. Addenbrooke's cognitive examination III (ACE-III)-Hindi version was used to define subjective cognitive impairment (SCI), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and major neurocognitive disorder (MNCD). Caregiver stress was assessed using the Kingston caregiver stress scale (KCSS), and the coping behaviour assessment scale was used to identify caregiver coping strategies.
Among 116 patients, 46 (39.66%) had SCI, 20 (17.24%) had MCI, and 50 (43.10%) had MNCD. The caregivers' mean age was 47.82 ± 12.95, and 68 (58.62%) were male. Eighty-eight (75.86%) of them reported caregiver stress, and 85 (73.28%), 28 (24.14%), and 51 (43.97%) had caregiving, family, and financial issues. The presence of caregiver stress was significantly higher in MCND (RRR: 6.92, 95%CI, 2.32-20.64, = 0.001) and MCI (RRR: 4.36, 95%CI, 1.12-16.96, = 0.034) than caregivers of SCI patients. The coping score increased in MCI (RRR: 1.22, 95%CI 1.03-1.46) and MNCD (RRR: 1.59, 95%CI 1.34-1.89).
Caregiver stress is common among patients with MCI and MNCD, comprising challenges in caregiving, family dynamics, and financial aspects.
照顾者负担是对与照顾相关压力的自然反应，涵盖广泛的心理、身体、社会和经济挑战。本研究的目的是评估认知障碍患者照顾者所经历的照顾者负担程度以及照顾者所采用的应对策略。
本横断面研究于2019年1月至2020年3月在老年医学科记忆门诊进行，招募了116名年龄≥60岁有认知主诉的患者及其照顾者。使用Addenbrooke认知检查III（ACE-III）印地语版本来定义主观认知障碍（SCI）、轻度认知障碍（MCI）和重度神经认知障碍（MNCD）。使用金斯敦照顾者压力量表（KCSS）评估照顾者压力，并使用应对行为评估量表来确定照顾者的应对策略。
116名患者中，46名（39.66%）患有SCI，20名（17.24%）患有MCI，50名（43.10%）患有MNCD。照顾者的平均年龄为47.82±12.95岁，68名（58.62%）为男性。其中88名（75.86%）报告有照顾者压力，85名（73.28%）、28名（24.14%）和51名（43.97%）存在照顾、家庭和经济问题。与SCI患者的照顾者相比，MCND（相对危险度比：6.92，95%置信区间，2.32 - 20.64，P = 0.001）和MCI（相对危险度比：4.36，95%置信区间，1.12 - 16.96，P = 0.034）患者的照顾者压力显著更高。MCI（相对危险度比：1.22，95%置信区间1.03 - 1.46）和MNCD（相对危险度比：1.59，95%置信区间1.34 - 1.89）患者的应对得分增加。
照顾者压力在MCI和MNCD患者中很常见，包括照顾、家庭关系和经济方面的挑战。
