Factors related to perceived quality of life in patients with Alzheimer's disease: the patient's perception compared with that of caregivers.
OBJECTIVE
To compare care recipient and caregiver perceptions of quality of life in patients (QoL-p) with Alzheimer's disease (AD). To identify associated factors, and the concordances-discrepancies.


METHODS
Cross-sectional analytic study of 236 patients and their carers using the Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease (QoL-AD) scale, socio-demographic data and clinical examination.


RESULTS
Patients scored the QoL-AD more favourably than did caregivers (34.4 vs 31.3, p < 0.001). Cognitive deterioration did not affect the perception of QoL-AD (rho = -0.05, p = 0.394). The neuropsychiatric symptoms was associated with a negative perception of the QOL-AD in both patients (rho = -0.22, p < 0.01) and caregivers (rho = -0.47, p < 0.001). Greater functional autonomy was associated with a better perception of the QOL-AD in patients (rho = 0.17, p < 0.01) and even more so in caregivers (rho = 0.56, p < 0.001). In carers, burden (rho = -0.56, p < 0.001) and mental health (rho = 0.31, p < 0.001) were inversely associated with the QoL-AD. QoL-AD scores of both patients and caregivers were higher for men, married subjects, those who lived with their spouse and those living in their own home. When the carer was a spouse both patients and caregivers scored the QoL-AD higher than when the carer was a son or daughter (35.5 vs 33.4 and 33.7; 32.9 vs 30.5 and 27.7, p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients have a better perception of QoL-p. Caregivers give a more negative evaluation of neuropsychiatric symptoms, but have a more positive view of functional autonomy. Carers who are spouses have a better perception of QoL-p than do carers who are sons or daughters.
Conde-Sala
Josep Lluís
JL
University of Barcelona, Developmental Psychology, Barcelona, Spain. jllconde@ub.edu
Garre-Olmo
Josep
J
Turró-Garriga
Oriol
O
López-Pousa
Secundino
S
Vilalta-Franch
Joan
J
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D032721:Adult Children; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D018454:Spouses; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires