The influence of caregiver burden on sexual intimacy and marital satisfaction in couples with an Alzheimer spouse.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigates affective and sexual dimensions in partners involved as caregivers of Alzheimer dementia (AD) subjects. A negative correlation between burden of the caregiver and sexual-affective quality of life was assumed.


METHODS
Hundred participants with AD partner (33 male, 67 female), aged between 55 and 85 years were recruited and data were collected from the Caregiver Burden Inventory scale and a semi-structured interview that included demographic information, medical history, relationship and sexual satisfaction, and current sexual function. AD group was compared with a control group (CG) (N=100) matched for age, sex, education and marital status on measures of the semi-structured interview. Data were analysed using frequency count, univariate analysis (chi-squared and ANOVA) and bivariate correlation.


RESULTS
The findings revealed that mean burden level was 31.59 (SD 19.51). A difference between experimental and CGs was found for sexual and affective marital satisfaction (p<0.05). The same variables showed a rather negative correlation with total burden levels (r=-0.374, p<0.001; r=-0.448, p<0.001).
Simonelli
C
C
University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy. ist.sessuologia@flashnet.it
Tripodi
F
F
Rossi
R
R
Fabrizi
A
A
Lembo
D
D
Cosmi
V
V
Pierleoni
L
L
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*