title: Health self-perception by dementia family caregivers: sociodemographic and clinical factors.
abstract: Caring for a demented family member has been associated with burden. Studies concerning health self-perception of family caregivers are still scarce.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate caregivers perceived health and to look into relationships with patients and caregivers' sociodemographic and clinical data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dyads of dementia outpatients and family caregivers (n=137) were assessed with Mini Mental State Examination, Functional Activities Questionnaire, Neuropsychiatric Inventory and Clinical Dementia Rating. Caregivers answered Sociodemographic Questionnaire, Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories, Zarit Burden Interview and Maslach Burnout Inventory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Caregivers poor perceived health was associated with emotional exhaustion, burden, depression and anxiety. Logistic regression analyses revealed caregivers' age, anxiety and physical problem as the main predictors of health self-perception.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aged family caregivers with anxiety who also report physical problem characterize a group at risk for poor self-perceived health. Evaluation of health self-perception may be useful for designing interventions to improve anxiety and physical health.
authors: Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders, Psychiatry Institute, Federal University Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil. 　leticevalente@hotmail.com
authors: Letice Ericeira
authors: LE
authors: Valente
authors: Annibal
authors: A
authors: Truzzi
authors: Wanderson F
authors: WF
authors: Souza
authors: Gilberto Sousa
authors: GS
authors: Alves
authors: Carlos Eduardo de Oliveira
authors: CE
authors: Alves
authors: Felipe Kenji
authors: FK
authors: Sudo
authors: Maria Elisa O
authors: ME
authors: Lanna
authors: Denise Madeira
authors: DM
authors: Moreira
authors: Eliasz
authors: E
authors: Engelhardt
authors: Jerson
authors: J
authors: Laks
mesh_terms: D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires