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Health‐care use and cost in dementia caregivers: Longitudinal results from the Predictors Caregiver Study
Author(s) -
Zhu Carolyn W.,
Scarmeas Nikolaos,
Ornstein Katherine,
Albert Marilyn,
Brandt Jason,
Blacker Deborah,
Sano Mary,
Stern Yaakov
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1016/j.jalz.2013.12.018
Subject(s) - dementia , medicine , medical prescription , psychological intervention , caregiver burden , health care , family caregivers , logistic regression , generalized estimating equation , disease , family medicine , gerontology , psychiatry , nursing , statistics , mathematics , pathology , economics , economic growth
Objective To examine the effects of caregiver and patient characteristics on caregivers' medical care use and cost. Methods One hundred forty‐seven caregiver/patient dyads were followed annually for 6 years in three academic Alzheimer's disease centers in the United States. Logistic, negative binomial, and generalized linear mixed models were used to examine overall effects of caregiver/patient characteristics on caregivers' hospitalizations, doctor visits, outpatient tests and procedures, and prescription and over‐the‐counter medications. Results Patients' comorbid conditions and dependence were associated with increased health‐care use and costs of caregivers. Increases in caregiver depressive symptoms are associated with increases in multiple domains of caregivers' health‐care use and costs. Discussion Findings suggest expanding our focus on dementia patients to include family caregivers to obtain a fuller picture of effects of caregiving. Primary care providers should integrate caregivers' needs in health‐care planning and delivery. Clinical interventions that treat patients and caregivers as a whole will likely achieve the greatest beneficial effects.