Connecting health-related quality of life and mental health in dementia caregivers from Colombia, South America.
Research in Caucasian populations has begun to examine the broad associations between physical and mental health in dementia caregivers. However, the examination of this relationship in Latin America is largely absent from the literature despite the fact that the region will see a major increase in dementia cases over the next 20 years. The current study examined the associations between health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and mental health in 90 dementia caregivers from Colombia, South America. A canonical correlation found that higher caregiver HRQOL was related to better mental health, as expected. Caregivers with high vitality and low role limitations due to physical problems tended to have low depression and high satisfaction with life. Follow-up multiple regressions found that caregiver role limitations due to physical problems was uniquely associated with satisfaction with life, whereas vitality, role limitations due to physical problems, and pain were uniquely associated with burden (although the pain effect was likely error due to a suppressor effect). Additionally, vitality and social functioning were uniquely negatively related to depression. Because of the extremely high overlap between these two sets of variables, dementia interventions are needed in Latin America that target both caregiver mental and physical health, as both likely operate in unison and influence each other.
Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA.
Paul B
PB
Perrin
Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA.
Matthew
M
Morgan
Department of Psychology, University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain.
Eleni
E
Aretouli
Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA.
Megan
M
Sutter
Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA.
Daniel J
DJ
Snipes
Alzheimer Foundation, Cali, Colombia.
Guillermo Ramirez
GR
Hoyos
Alzheimer Foundation, Cali, Colombia.
Jacqueline Arabia
JA
Buraye
Department of Psychology, University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain.
Juan Carlos
JC
Arango-Lasprilla
D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003704:Dementia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Dementia caregivers; Latin America; health related quality of life; mental health