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Strain and its correlates among carers of people with dementia in low-income and middle-income countries; a 10/66 Dementia Research Group population-based survey
- Authors:
- PRINCE Martin, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 27(7), July 2012, pp.670-682.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This multi-site population-based study covered eleven sites in Latin America, India and China. It was designed to examine the relative contributions of care arrangements and characteristics of carers and care recipients to strain among carers of people with dementia. Drawing on the results of previous work, the researchers focused on carer sex, care inputs, behavioural and psychological symptoms (BPSD) and socioeconomic status, and the potential buffering effects of informal support and employing paid carers. Carer strain was assessed with the Zarit Burden Interview. A total of 673 care recipient/carer dyads were interviewed (99% of those eligible), revealing mean Zarit Burden Interview scores ranging between 17.1 and 27.9 by site. Women carers reported more strain than men. The most substantial correlates of carer strain were the primary stressors BPSD, dementia severity, needs for care and time spent caring. There was no consistent evidence of for an association between socioeconomic status and carer strain but cutting back on work did predict carer stain across most sites. There was tentative evidence for a protective effect of having additional informal or paid support. These findings underline the global impact of caring for a person with dementia and support the need for scaling up carer support, education and training.