Quality of life and factors affecting it in patients with Alzheimer's disease: a cross-sectional study

Quality of life (QoL) is a growing area of interest in dementia research. However, it remains a controversial topic. This study aimed to determine the QoL of people with Alzheimer's disease (PwAD) and investigate the factors affecting patients' and caregivers' QoL scores.

A cross-sectional study design was used. A total of 98 home-dwelling PwADs and their primary caregivers were recruited in the study. Sociodemographic characteristics and QoL scores, activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL), Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI), and NPI-distress were determined to assess the relevant outcomes. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 22.0. Descriptive statistics, t-test, Pearson correlation, and multinomial regression were used for analysis.

The patients' ratings of their QoL were higher than those of the caregivers. Caregiver education, patients' ADL, and IADL were associated with the patients' score on the Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease (QoL-AD) scale. In addition to these variables, MMSE, NPI, and NPI-distress were associated with the caregiver scores on QoL-AD.

From a clinical point of view, the proxy-rated scores of QoL cannot replace the self-ratings of the patients. This study suggests that both self- and proxy-rated QoL scores should be applied whenever possible. Focusing on the management of behavioral problems and supporting functionality and cognitive functions may be modifiable factors that may represent targets for intervention to improve the QoL. The findings of this study should also be used to design caregiver educational programs about the determinants of QoL.