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Predictors of positive and negative appraisal among Cuban American caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients
Author(s) -
Harwood Dylan G.,
Barker Warren W.,
Ownby Raymond L.,
Bravo Marina,
Aguero Hilda,
Duara Ranjan
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/1099-1166(200006)15:6<481::aid-gps984>3.0.co;2-j
Subject(s) - dementia , caregiver burden , family caregivers , disease , gerontology , psychology , clinical dementia rating , clinical psychology , acculturation , ethnic group , residence , social support , psychiatry , rating scale , scale (ratio) , medicine , demography , developmental psychology , physics , pathology , quantum mechanics , sociology , anthropology , psychotherapist
Objective This study investigated predictors of positive (satisfaction) and negative (burden) appraisal among Cuban American (CA) caregivers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Design Cross‐sectional study of AD patients and their family caregivers. Setting A university‐affiliated outpatient memory disorders clinic. Subjects A convenience sample of 40 CA family caregivers of patients diagnosed with probable or possible AD according to NINCDS–ADRDA diagnostic criteria. Measures AD patients: Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE), Blessed Dementia Scale (BDS) and the Behavioral Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease Rating Scale (BEHAVE‐AD). Caregivers: Caregiving Burden Scale (CBS), Caregiving Satisfaction Scale (CSS), Perceived Emotional Support scale (PES) and the Short Form‐36 Health Survey‐General Health Index (GH). Results Appraised burden was predicted by increased patient behavioral pathology, female caregiver gender and lower levels of perceived emotional support. The association between older caregiver age and increased burden approached significance. Older caregiver age and higher levels of perceived social support were shown to predict appraised satisfaction. Post‐hoc analyses also indicated that length of residence in the United States, a measure of acculturation, was not associated with positive or negative appraisal. Conclusion Appraised burden and satisfaction represent important outcomes of dementia care that show relations with distinct factors among CA caregivers. It is clear that further research is warranted in order to ascertain the relationship of ethnicity or culture to the process and psychological consequences of dementia caregiving. Continued investigations into predictors of caregiving satisfaction are also recommended. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.