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Table 1 Characteristics of patients and caregivers

From: Counsellors contact dementia caregivers - predictors of utilisation in a longitudinal study

Variables

Total sample (n = 97)

Subgroup I: No or only one personal contact (n = 62) Mean (SD)/n (%)

Subgroup II: More than one personal contact (n = 35) Mean (SD)/n (%)

p

Patient's age

80.7 (6.2)

80.8 (5.8)

80.5 (6.9)

.861

Caregiver's age*

60.8 (13.8)

56.9 (13.1)

67.6 (12.6)

< .001

Patient's sex (female)

67 (69%)

46 (74%)

21 (60%)

.146

Caregiver's sex (female)*

68 (70%)

47 (81%)

21 (64%)

.066

Employed caregiver*

31 (32%)

27 (47%)

5 (15%)

.001

Relationship (caregiver to patient)***:

Spouse

Son/Daughter (-in-law)

Others

33 (34%)

47 (49%)

12 (12%)

15 (25%)

36 (61%)

8 (14%)

18 (55%)

11 (33%)

4 (12%)

.016

Hours spent on ADLs (RUD)**

1.8 (2.1)

1.25 (1.7)

2.7 (2.4)

.004

Hours spent on IADLs (RUD)***

2.0 (2.1)

1.5 (1.6)

2.7 (2.5)

.017

Hours spent supervising patient activities (RUD)*

2.1 (3.7)

1.4 (3.5)

3.3 (3.9)

.022

Subjective Burden (Burden Scale for Family Carers)**

24.4 (16.6)

22.2 (17.5)

38.4 (14.4)

.088

Functional independence (Barthel Index)**

70.1 (28.6)

74.2 (27.4)

62.5 (29.6)

.062

Cognitive decline (MMST)

18.5 (3.9)

19.3 (3.8)

16.9 (3.7)

.003

Instrumental activities of daily living (NOSGER subscale IADL)***

15.8 (5.8)

15.1 (5.6)

17.0 (6.1)

.135

Disturbing behaviour (NOSGER: subscale disturbing behaviour)*

9.6 (3.7)

9.1 (3.7)

10.4 (3.7)

.095

Number of comorbidities

3.2 (1.5)

3.5 (1.5)

3.2 (1.5)

.566

Presence of psychiatric symptoms+ (depression, anxiety, delusion)

38 (39%)

27 (44%)

11 (31%)

.240

Presence of behavioural symptoms+ (aggression, roaming, insomnia, agitation)

58 (60%)

38 (61%)

20 (57%)

.689

  1. *Valid cases: Total number n = 91/Subgroup I n = 58/Subgroup II n = 33
  2. **Valid cases: 91/59/32
  3. ***Valid cases: 92/59/33
  4. + One or more symptoms present