Review article
PREDICTORS OF HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN INFORMAL CAREGIVERS OF DEMENTIA PATIENTS IN ZAGREB, CROATIA, A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY
Jelena Lucijanić
; Health Care Center Zagreb-West, Zagreb, Croatia
Ksenija Baždarić
; Department of Medical Informatics, Faculty of Medicine, Rijeka, Croatia
Marko Lucijanić
; Department of Hematology, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia ; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Hrvoje Maleković
; Health Care Center Zagreb-West, Zagreb, Croatia
Miroslav Hanževački
; Health Care Center Zagreb-West, Zagreb, Croatia; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Vesna Jureša
; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
We aimed to estimate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in family-member caregivers of patients with dementia in Croatia
and to assess relevant predictors.
A cross-sectional study in family medicine practices in Zagreb (Health Care Center Zagreb-West) was performed in period
10/2017-9/2018 and included 131 dyads consisting of a patient with dementia and one dominant informal caregiver. Patient measures
included Mini-mental-state-examination (MMSE), Barthel-index and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Questionnaire (NPI-Q).
Caregiver measures included 36-Item Short-Form-Health-Survey (SF-36), Zarit-Burden-Interview (ZBI) and structured questionnaire
regarding general information on caregiver and patient.
SF-36 is a reliable instrument to estimate HRQoL . Caregiver HRQoL was higher than
reported in Croatian population in physical functioning (PF), role physical (RP), general health (GH), social functioning (SF) and
role emotional (RE) domains. More pronounced neuropsychiatric symptoms in patient with dementia were associated with
caregiver's lower HRQoL in vitality (VT) and mental health (MH) domains. Caregivers with higher caregiver burden assessed by
ZBI had lower HRQoL in RP, bodily pain (BP), GH, VT, SF, RE and MH domains. In multivariate analyses, higher caregiver's
burden was independent predictor of lower HRQoL in RP, VT, RE and MH domains. Neuropsychiatric symptoms and use of daycare
service were recognized as independent predictors of lower HRQoL (in PF, BP and GH, SF, RE domains, respectively).
Neuropsychiatric symptoms and caregiver burden are associated with HRQoL in caregivers of patients with dementia.
Interventions including psychological support and learning of skills necessary to tackle individual problems may help in
improvement of HRQoL.
Keywords
caregiver burden; dementia; family practice; health related quality of life
Hrčak ID:
272667
URI
Publication date:
8.2.2022.
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