Severity of dementia and associated care giver burden :Cross sectional study in a teritiary psychiatric centre

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY: Prevalence of dementia is increasing since last decade as a result of rise in potential risk factors and life expectancy. As disabling the condition it is for the patient , dementia brings out of a lot added stressors to the care givers and the family dynamics and in turn to the quality of care received by the patient. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients and caregivers attending op and I p care of dimhans and having diagnosis of dementia was evaluated. The study was designed as a single centre, cross-sectional, descriptive study. Participants of either sex, 45 years and above, consenting for the study were evaluated. Pre-designed proforma was used to collect socio-demographic details of the patients and severity of dementia was assessed with dementia severity rating scale. Care givers were evaluated for care giver burden using Zarit Care Giver Burden Interview. The details were tabulated and analysed using Chi square and ANOVA tests. p≤0.05 was taken as statistically significant. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To assess severity of dementia and associated care giver burden RESULTS: (<150 WORDS): Majority of participants were females(60%) and married (57%) and belonging to hindu religion predominantly.Nearly half of the responders (46.7%) belonged to lower socio economic status and nearly 2/3(rd) illiterate.Most of the responders had moderate cognitive impairment(80%) and severity of dementia(60%).Around 60% care givers accounted for more than moderate to severe care giver burden.Age is found to have positive corelation with severity of dementia with P value <0.038.Care givers burden was positively corelated with severity of dementia(0.00) and negatively with MMSE score(0.018).Signifcant association was found between rural area of residence and care giver burden(P <0.033) CONCLUSION: (<50 WORD): Our study revealed role of factors like age,level of education,economic status and their by quality of living and their impacts on cognitive impairment, severity of dementia and on the burden received by care givers.Significant association between care giver burden and rural area of residence gives a new perspective of burnout felt in the primary care givers irrespective of the more supportive family dynamics in rural areas. 3 key messages: (<50 words) Early identification of risk factors and screening for the disease can reduce the toll it takes on patient and families. Comprehensive psychological intervention even focusing rural areas needs to be implemented. Decentralization of dementia care considering the inaccessibility .