Patient-Related Factors Associated With Depressive State in Caregivers of Patients With Dementia at Home

Objectves: To identify patient-related factors associated with depressive state in caregivers of patients with dementia, we investigated the caregivers' and patients' characteristics in relation to the depressive state in their caregivers. Design: Prospective hospital-based cohort study. Setting: Two memory clinics in Japan. Participants: Outpatients with dementia (n = 135) and their caregivers at home. Measurements: The outpatients and their caregivers were divided into 2 groups according to the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for caregivers. To identify the patient-related factors that cause depressive state in caregivers, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Physical SelfMaintenance Scale for fundamental activities of daily living (ADL), and the instrumental ADL scale (IADL) scores for instrumental ADL and the neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI) subscale score for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia were compared between the 2 groups. We used logistic regression to determine the independent predictors of caregiver depressive state. Results: There was no significant difference in MMSE score between the 2 groups. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the depressive state in caregivers was related with IADL score and delusion in NPI subscale of patients. Conclusions: Depressive state in caregivers was independent of the decline in cognitive function in patients with dementia but was associated with decline in instrumental ADL and severity of delusion. (C) 2014 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of American Medical Directors Association, Inc.