Quality of life of community-residing persons with dementia based on self-rated and caregiver-rated measures.
OBJECTIVE
To identify correlates of self-rated and caregiver-rated quality of life (QOL) in community-residing persons with dementia (PWD) for intervention development.


METHODS
Cross-sectional data of 254 PWD and their caregivers participating in a clinical trial were derived from in-home assessments. Self-rated QOL was measured with the Quality of Life-Alzheimer Disease (QOL-AD) scale, and caregiver-rated QOL was measured using the QOL-AD and Alzheimer Disease-Related Quality of Life (ADRQL) scales. Multivariate modeling identified correlates of the PWD' QOL.


RESULTS
Self-rated QOL was related significantly to participant race, unmet needs, depression, and total medications. Caregiver-rated QOL-AD scores were significantly associated with participant function, unmet needs, depression, and health problems and with caregiver burden and self-rated health. Significant correlates of ADRQL scores included neuropsychiatric symptom severity, functional and cognitive impairment, and caregiver burden and depression.


CONCLUSIONS
Correlates of QOL in community-residing PWD depend on who rates the PWD's QOL and which measure is used. Addressing health problems, medication use, and dementia-related unmet needs, reducing functional dependency, and treating neuropsychiatric symptoms in PWD, while reducing caregiver burden and depression, may maximize QOL in those with dementia.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Meyer Building 279, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. bblack@jhmi.edu
Betty S
BS
Black
Deirdre
D
Johnston
Ann
A
Morrison
Peter V
PV
Rabins
Constantine G
CG
Lyketsos
Quincy M
QM
Samus
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D057566:Self Report; D013315:Stress, Psychological