Trajectories of health-related quality of life among family caregivers of individuals with dementia: A home-based caregiver-training program matters

Li-Min Kuo; Huei-Ling Huang; Jersey Liang; Yam-Ting Kwok; Wen-Chuin Hsu; Chin-Yi Liu; Yea-Ing L Shyu

doi:10.1016/j.gerinurse.2016.08.017

Trajectories of health-related quality of life among family caregivers of individuals with dementia: A home-based caregiver-training program matters

Geriatr Nurs. 2017 Mar-Apr;38(2):124-132. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2016.08.017. Epub 2016 Oct 6.

Authors

Li-Min Kuo¹, Huei-Ling Huang², Jersey Liang³, Yam-Ting Kwok⁴, Wen-Chuin Hsu⁵, Chin-Yi Liu⁶, Yea-Ing L Shyu⁷

Affiliations

¹ School of Gerontology Health Management, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wu Hsing St., Taipei 11031, Taiwan, ROC.
² Department of Gerontological Care and Management, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, 261 Wenhwa 1st Road, Kwei-shan District, Taoyuan City 33303, Taiwan, ROC.
³ School of Public Health and Institute of Gerontology, University of Michigan, 500 S State St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
⁴ Division of Neurology, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, 21 Section 2, Nanya S. Road, Banciao District, New Taipei City 22056, Taiwan, ROC.
⁵ Dementia Center, Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, 259 Wenhua 1st Road, Guishan District, Taoyuan City 33302, Taiwan, ROC.
⁶ School of Nursing, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, 259 Wenhua 1st Road, Guishan District, Taoyuan City 33302, Taiwan, ROC.
⁷ Department of Gerontological Care and Management, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, 261 Wenhwa 1st Road, Kwei-shan District, Taoyuan City 33303, Taiwan, ROC; School of Nursing, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, 259 Wenhua 1st Road, Guishan District, Taoyuan City 33302, Taiwan, ROC; Healthy Aging Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; Traumatological Division, Department of Orthopedics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Nursing, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 123 Dapi Road, Niaosng District, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: yeaing@mail.cgu.edu.tw.

PMID: 27720499
DOI: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2016.08.017

Abstract

To determine distinct courses of change in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among family caregivers of individuals with dementia and how participating in a home-based caregiver-training program affects the probability of belonging to each course. Sixty three caregivers were in the intervention group, and 66 caregivers were in the control group of a single-blinded randomized clinical trial. Two distinct trajectories of HRQoL were identified: a well-functioning trajectory and a poor-functioning trajectory. Caregivers who received the training program were more likely than those who did not have a well-functioning trajectory of HRQoL over 18 months. This trajectory included bodily pain (b = 1.02, odds ratio [OR] = 2.76), general health perception (b = 1.28, OR = 3.60), social functioning (b = 1.12, OR = 3.05), vitality (b = 1.51, OR = 4.49), general mental health (b = 1.08, OR = 2.94), and mental component summary (b = 1.27, OR = 3.55). Home-based caregiver training can be considered as part of the protocol for managing patients with dementia and their caregivers.

Trial registration number: NCT02667951.

Keywords: Dementia; Family caregiver-training program; Health-related QoL; Trajectory group.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Caregivers / education*
Caregivers / psychology
Dementia / nursing*
Female
Health Status
Humans
Male
Mental Health
Middle Aged
Quality of Life / psychology
Self Efficacy
Social Skills
Teaching / education*

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT02667951