Open AccessThe influence of caregiver burden on sexual intimacy and marital satisfaction in couples with an Alzheimer spouse
Author(s) -
Simonelli C.,
Tripodi F.,
Rossi R.,
Fabrizi A.,
Lembo D.,
Cosmi V.,
Pierleoni L.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
international journal of clinical practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.756
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 1742-1241
pISSN - 1368-5031
DOI - 10.1111/j.1742-1241.2007.01506.x
Subject(s) - spouse , medicine , marital status , bivariate analysis , sexual function , univariate analysis , caregiver burden , clinical psychology , analysis of variance , dementia , quality of life (healthcare) , demography , correlation , multivariate analysis , gerontology , disease , population , statistics , geometry , mathematics , environmental health , nursing , sociology , anthropology
Summary Objective: This study investigates affective and sexual dimensions in partners involved as caregivers of Alzheimer dementia (AD) subjects. A negative correlation between burden of the caregiver and sexual‐affective quality of life was assumed. Design and methods: Hundred participants with AD partner (33 male, 67 female), aged between 55 and 85 years were recruited and data were collected from the Caregiver Burden Inventory scale and a semi‐structured interview that included demographic information, medical history, relationship and sexual satisfaction, and current sexual function. AD group was compared with a control group (CG) ( N = 100) matched for age, sex, education and marital status on measures of the semi‐structured interview. Data were analysed using frequency count, univariate analysis (chi‐squared and ANOVA) and bivariate correlation. Results: The findings revealed that mean burden level was 31.59 (SD 19.51). A difference between experimental and CGs was found for sexual and affective marital satisfaction (p < 0.05). The same variables showed a rather negative correlation with total burden levels (r = −0.374, p < 0.001; r = −0.448, p < 0.001).