BackgroundAlzheimer's disease and related dementias are associated with increasing health burden in low- and middle-income countries. Less well-recognized is the potential health burden experienced by other affected individuals, such as family caregivers. In this study, we sought to profile the burden of care and its association with symptoms of depression and anxiety among informal caregivers of people living with dementia in rural southwestern Uganda.MethodWe conducted a cross-sectional study of 232 family caregivers of people with dementia. The key measured variables of interest were caregiving burden (Zarit Burden Index) and symptoms of depression and anxiety (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales). We fitted multivariable regression models specifying depression and anxiety symptoms as the primary outcomes of interest and caregiving burden as the primary explanatory variable of interest.ResultsFamily caregivers of people with dementia experience significant caregiving burden, with each item on the Zarit Burden Index endorsed by more than 70% of study participants. Nearly half [108 (47%)] of caregivers had Zarit Burden Interview scores >60, suggestive of severe caregiving burden. In multivariable regression models, we estimated a statistically significant positive association between caregiving burden and symptoms of both depression [b= 0.42; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.34–0.49] and anxiety (b= 0.37; 95% CI 0.30–0.45).ConclusionFamily caregivers of people with dementia in rural Uganda experience a high caregiving burden, which is associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Interventions aimed at reducing caregiving burden may have important collateral mental health benefits.

中文翻译：

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乌干达农村痴呆症患者家庭照顾者的照顾负担和心理健康问题

背景阿尔茨海默病和相关痴呆症与中低收入国家的健康负担增加有关。不太为人所知的是其他受影响的个人（例如家庭照顾者）所经历的潜在健康负担。在这项研究中，我们试图在乌干达西南部农村地区的痴呆症患者的非正式照顾者中描述护理负担及其与抑郁和焦虑症状的关系。方法我们对 232 名痴呆症患者的家庭照顾者进行了横断面研究。感兴趣的关键测量变量是护理负担（Zarit 负担指数）和抑郁和焦虑症状（抑郁焦虑压力量表）。我们拟合了多变量回归模型，将抑郁和焦虑症状指定为感兴趣的主要结果，将照顾负担作为主要的解释变量。结果痴呆症患者的家庭照顾者承受着巨大的照顾负担，Zarit 负担指数中的每个项目都得到了超过70% 的研究参与者。近一半 [108 (47%)] 的护理人员的 Zarit Burden 访谈得分 > 60，表明护理负担严重。在多变量回归模型中，我们估计了看护负担与两种抑郁症症状之间存在统计学上显着的正相关关系。Zarit 负担指数中的每一项都得到了超过 70% 的研究参与者的认可。近一半 [108 (47%)] 的护理人员的 Zarit Burden 访谈得分 > 60，表明护理负担严重。在多变量回归模型中，我们估计了看护负担与两种抑郁症症状之间存在统计学上显着的正相关关系。Zarit 负担指数中的每一项都得到了超过 70% 的研究参与者的认可。近一半 [108 (47%)] 的护理人员的 Zarit Burden 访谈得分 > 60，表明护理负担严重。在多变量回归模型中，我们估计了看护负担与两种抑郁症症状之间存在统计学上显着的正相关关系。b= 0.42; 95% 置信区间 (CI) 0.34–0.49] 和焦虑 (b= 0.37; 95% CI 0.30–0.45)。结论乌干达农村地区痴呆症患者的家庭照料者承受着沉重的照料负担，这与抑郁和焦虑症状有关。旨在减轻护理负担的干预措施可能具有重要的心理健康益处。