Assessing the Experiences of Informal Caregivers of Patients With Mildcognitive Impairment Using Self-Reported Measures

OBJECTIVES: Informal caregivers, despite their crucial role, often have their experiences and the stress they face overlooked. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of informal caregiving for patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and its associated factors using a battery of self-reported measures.

METHODS: A non-interventional, cross-sectional study was conducted at 19 dementia clinics. Individuals providing informal care for patients with a diagnosis of MCI according to the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association criteria and a Global Deterioration Scale score of 3 were included.

The Zarit Burden Interview, the Affiliate Stigma Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Functional Social Support Questionnaire, and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory were used to assess caregiver stress, stigma, anxiety and depression, social support, and emotional distress due to the patient’s psychiatric symptoms, respectively. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the association between participants’ characteristics and the impact of caregiving.

RESULTS: A total of 196 caregivers were studied. Mean age (SD) was 63.5 (13.1) years, 62.8% were female, and 68.4% were spouses of patients with a median disease duration of 2.0 years (IQR 1.0-4.0). The prevalence of caregiver stress was 59.7% (n=117). Additionally, 18.9% (n=37) of participants reported depressive symptoms, 39.3% (n=77) experiencing stigma, and 41.8% (n=82) anxiety.

The strength of the social support network was associated with a high level of resilience among caregivers (OR=2.371, 95% CI 1.788-3.143, p=0.0001). Caregiver stress was associated with anxiety (OR=1.134, 95% CI 1.023-1.258, p=0.017), stigma (OR=1.069, 95% CI 1.019-1.121, p=0.007), emotional distress (OR=1.153, 95% CI 1.064-1.249, p=0.0001), and poor social support (OR=0.469, 95% CI 0.345-0.636, p=0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS: Informal caregivers of patients with MCI experience significant stress. Identifying the contributing factors from the caregivers' perspective can help healthcare professionals implement targeted early interventions to address these challenges.