Enhancing the quality of life of dementia caregivers from different ethnic or racial groups: A randomized controlled trial

Citation Belle, S., Burgio, L. Burns, R., Coon, D., Czaja, S., Gallagher-Thompson, D., Gitlin, L., Klinger, J., Koepke, K., Lee, C.C., Martindale-Adams, J., Nichols, L., Schulz, R., Stahl, S., Stevens, A., Winter, L. & Zhang, S. (2006). Enhancing the quality of life of dementia caregivers from different ethnic or racial groups: A randomized controlled trial. Annals of Internal Medicine, 145(10), 727-738.

Design Randomized controlled study

Participants The participants of this study were 212 Hispanic, 219 white and 211 African American caregivers of care receivers with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.

Outcome / Dependent Variables The dependent variables of this study were: Caregiver Depression (measured on the CES-D scale), Caregiver Burden (measured on the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview scale), Caregiver Self-care, Caregiver Social Support, and Care receiver Problem Behaviors was a co variate (measured on the Revised Memory & Behavior Problem Checklist).

Secondary Outcomes: Prevalence of caregiver clinical depression and institutional placement of care receiver at 6-month follow-up.

Procedure The Intervention addressed caregiver depression, burden, self-care and social support and care receiver problem behaviors through 12 in-home and telephone sessions over 6 mos. The intervention involved a range of strategies: provision of information, didactic instruction, role playing, problem solving, skills training, stress management techniques and telephone support groups. The treatment group was compared to a control group receiving 2 brief check-in phone calls during the 6-month intervention

Outcomes Hispanic & White caregivers in intervention group experienced significantly greater improvement in quality of life than those in the control group. Spouses in the intervention group showed significantly greater improvement than spouses in control. Prevalence of clinical depression was lower among caregivers in the intervention group.

Author Belle, S., Burgio, L. Burns, R., Coon, D., Czaja, S., Gallagher-Thompson, D., Gitlin, L., Klinger, J., Koepke, K., Lee, C.C., Martindale-Adams, J., Nichols, L., Schulz, R., Stahl, S., Stevens, A., Winter, L. & Zhang, S.