Past Issues

Objectives: The purposes of this study were to investigate the demographic
data of the patients with dementia and their caregivers in the memory clinic of a
medical center in central Taiwan, and to fi nd factors associated with caregivers’
burden in caring patients with dementia. Methods: In the study, we used 88 pairs
of patients with dementia and their caregivers who visited the memory clinic from
January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007. We collected the demographic information
of patients, patients’ cognitive function, patients’ clinical dementia ratings, and behavioral
and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) as well as caregivers’
demographic data, burden, and depressive conditions. We analyzed those data for
the relationship between each parameter and caregivers’ burden. Results: The results
showed that the scores of Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) (t =
-2.613, p < 0.05), Clinical Dementia Rating scale (CDR) (t = -2.591, p < 0.05), and
Neuropsychiatry Inventory (NPI) total score (t = 17.636, p < 0.001) were signifi -
cantly associated with Neuropsychiatric Inventory Caregiver Distress Scale (NPID)
using the multiple linear regression analyses. The regression model explained
81.3% (F = 55.068, p < 0.001) of the variance in caregivers’ burden. Forty-two
percents of the caregivers had the depressive problems. Conclusion: MMSE,
CDR, and BPSD of patients with dementia were signifi cant associated factors of
caregivers’ burden. Severity of BPSD was most signifi cantly correlated with caregivers’
burden.