Quality of Life in the Patients with Alzheimer's Disease and their Caregivers: Caregivers' Point of View

Su Jin Kang, Smi Choi-Kwon
2016 Korean Journal of Adult Nursing  
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the quality of life (QoL) in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their and caregivers and its influencing factors. Methods: A descriptive research design was used. 211 pairs of AD patients and their caregivers were recruited from a neurology outpatient clinic of S medical center in Seoul, Korea. Caregivers completed several structured questionnaires regarding AD patients' QoL as well as their QoL, patients' behavioral and psychological
more » ... ptoms, patients' activities of daily living (ADL), social support, and quality of relationship between AD patients and caregivers. Cognitive status of AD patients was assessed by the researchers using Korean Mini-Mental State Examination. Results: The scores of QoL were 26.91 for AD patients and 85.62 for their caregivers. In the multiple regression, factors associated with AD patients' QoL were the quality of relationship (β=.44), ADL (β=-.33), patient's age (β=.20), caregivers' QoL (β=.20), and patient's gender (β=.11). Factors associated with caregivers' QoL were the quality of relationship (β=.34), relationship (β=.32), patient's QoL (β=.26), caregivers' gender (β=.18), social support (β=.12), and the level of caregivers' education (β=.12). Conclusion: To improve the QoL in AD patients and their caregivers, strategies to promote their quality of relationship are needed.
doi:10.7475/kjan.2016.28.4.367 fatcat:iofscgz74vgive4nesba7op2xe