Clinical Interventions in Aging (Jun 2022)
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Community-Based Dementia Caregiver Intervention on Caregiving Burden, Depression, and Attitude Toward Dementia: A Quasi‐experimental Study
Abstract
Su Jung Lee,1 Hyun-Ju Seo,2 IL Han Choo,3 Seong Min Kim,4 Jeong Min Park,5 Eun-Young Yang,4 Yu Mi Choi6 1College of Nursing, Inje University, Gimhae, South Korea; 2College of Nursing, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea; 3Department of Neuropsychiatry, Chosun University and Chosun University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea; 4Department of Nursing, Donggang University, Gwangju, South Korea; 5Department of Nursing, Nambu University, Gwangju, South Korea; 6College of Nursing, Graduate School of Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South KoreaCorrespondence: Hyun-Ju Seo, College of Nursing, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 35015, South Korea, Tel +82-42-580-8320, Fax +82-42-580-8309, Email [email protected]: Accumulating evidence of the effects of dementia caregiving on individuals, society, and health has generated intervention studies to reduce the stress among family caregivers of people with dementia. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a family support program, community-based dementia caregiver intervention (CDCI), among family caregivers of people with dementia compared with a control group (no intervention).Patients and Methods: This study is a quasi-experimental, non-randomized controlled trial conducted in six dementia relief centers of a community healthcare center in Korea. Family caregivers of 83 patients with dementia were recruited; of these 78 were included in the final study, with 40 in the intervention group and 38 in the control group. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to compare the mean difference in the scores of the total short-form Zarit Burden Interview (SZBI), personal strain, role strain, depression, and attitude between the groups.Results: Compared with controls, in the intervention group, the adjusted mean score of personal strain (F = 4.353, t = 0.041) and attitude toward dementia (F = 10.284, t = 0.002) differed significantly after the intervention, with a small to moderate effect. There was no significant difference in the total SZBI, role strain, or depression mean score.Conclusion: The findings suggest that CDCI may be an effective intervention strategy to reduce personal strain and enhance the attitudes of family caregivers of people with dementia.Keywords: community-based intervention, caregiver burden, dementia, family support program, family caregiver
