Necesidades familiares y su relación con las características psicosociales que presentan los cuidadores de personas con demencia

Abstract

The aim of this study is to: 1) To determine the most and least important family needs of 73 dementia family member caregivers from the Memory Clinic of the Central Police Hospital in Bogotá, Colombia, 2) To describe caregivers� psychosocial functioning and 3) To determine which type of family needs best predict caregiver psychosocial functioning. Family member caregivers were administered a 27-item Caregiver Needs Questionnaire, the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) to measure depression, Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List Short Version (ISEL-12) to evaluate social support, and The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). The three most important needs reported by the family member caregivers were the need for information about the disease, need for emotional support, and need for community support. The majority of caregivers reported high levels of burden, depression, and health problems. The need to improve physical health was the best predictor of depression and burden. The need for respite and for psychological assistance best predicted satisfaction with life.