title: Mental health, stress correlates and psychotropic drug use or non-use among aged caregivers to elders with dementia.
abstract: The goal of the study was to compare caregivers who used psychotropic drugs with caregivers who were non-users in order to pinpoint differences in coping styles between the two groups. We performed a secondary analysis of a study on the stress and psychological well-being of persons caring for relatives with dementia. We compared elderly caregivers, as either psychotropic drug users (n = 61) or non-users (n = 133), over various psychosocial characteristics relating to the care-giving context. Results reveal that users, as compared to non-users were: (a) more disturbed (appraised a greater stress) by the relative's dysfunctional behaviours, after controlling for the frequency of the behaviours; and (b) experienced more conflict during interpersonal interactions, although their appraisal of self-satisfaction with formal and informal support to their care-giving activities did not differ significantly. Strikingly, users combined and called on a greater number of problem-focused and emotion-reducing coping strategies than did non-users. They more frequently used affective regulation and information seeking coping styles. Stress-related measures (especially stress appraisal and conflict) contributed more to the variation in mental distress of users than of non-users. Results provide a theoretical and empirical rationale for therapeutic interventions such as the cognitive behavioural approach.
authors.affiliation: University of Quebec, Hull, Canada. guilheme_perodeau@uqah.uquebec.ca
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pérodeau
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lauzon
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lévesque
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lachance
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D011792:Quebec / Q000453:epidemiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs