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

Abstract 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 Self-Maintenance 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.