Is sense of coherence helpful in coping with caregiver burden for dementia?

要旨

BACKGROUND: Sense of coherence (SOC) is associated with a reduced risk of various health problems and is thought to be a major factor related to the ability to cope with stress. In the present study, we examined the association between caregiver burden and SOC among caregivers to persons with dementia. METHODS: Participants included 274 caregivers or family members of community-dwelling elderly dementia patients. To assess the cognitive function of patients, neuropsychological tests (e.g. Mini-Mental State Examination, Clinical Dementia Rating) were conducted by a clinical psychologist who was well trained in interviewing participants; the tests used a semi-structured interview protocol. Senior neurologists and psychiatrists also independently evaluated the dementia status of patients. To assess the SOC and caregiver burden, a social welfare counsellor asked questions from a 13-item version of the SOC scale and the short, eight-item Japanese version of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI). RESULTS: Among 78 caregivers of elderly subjects with cognitive impairment due to dementia, the ZBI score was significantly associated with SOC (r = -0.38, P = 0.001). Multiple regression analyses revealed that SOC scores (β = -0.42, P < 0.001) and Mini-Mental State Examination scores (β = -0.28, P = 0.009) were significantly associated with ZBI scores (F(2, 76) = 10.51, P < 0.001). SOC was closely associated with personal strain in the ZBI (β = -0.41, P < 0.001; F(3, 75) = 8.53, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Caregivers with a strong SOC may be less prone to experiencing personal strain from their burden. These results suggest that reinforcement of SOC would contribute to reducing the personal strain.

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