title: Caregiver burden and perceived health competence when caring for family members diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify if there is a relationship between perceived health competence and burden of care of informal caregivers of family members with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Informal caregivers 18 years and older who received services from the Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska were invited to complete a survey.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings indicate that there was a negative correlation between perceived health competence and burden of care (N = 64, r = -.54, p < .001). Additionally, there was a negative correlation within the three subscales of the Modified Montgomery-Borgatta Caregiver Burden Scale: objective burden (r = -.65, p = < .001), stress burden (r = -.41, p = .001), and relationship burden (r = -.29, p = .021, p = .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the findings of an association between increased caregiver burden and the perception of decreased health competence, nurse practitioners (NPs) can play an important role in assessing caregiver burden. The results of this study enlighten NPs about informal caregiver burden and will help guide discussions and assessments during routine healthcare visits with the goal of achieving optimal health for informal caregivers.
authors.affiliation: Department School of Nursing, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska. cobailes@uaa.alaska.edu, bailes@mtaonline.net.
authors.forename: Christine O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Bailes
authors.affiliation: Department School of Nursing, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska.
authors.forename: Colleen M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Kelley
authors.affiliation: Department School of Nursing, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska.
authors.forename: Nadine M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Parker
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000413:Alaska; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Caregiver; dementia; health; nurse; practitioners