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[Mental and behavior disorders in the aged: attempt at classification and relationship with caregivers' burden]
H Bocquet1, J P Charlet, J Pous
1CJF INSERM 94-06. Département d'Epidémiologie. Economie de la Santé et Santé Communautaire, Faculté de Médecine, Toulouse.
Background:
To measure the relation between different disorders of the elderly and the carer's burden.
Method:
A cross-sectional study was carried out by a questionnaire administered to carers of dependent elderly living at home. Mental and behavioral disorders were measured by the Zarit "Memory and behavior problems check list" (MBPC); carer's burden was measured with the Zarit "Burden Inventory" (BI). A principal components analysis was performed to make groups of disorders with the MBPC items and the relation between these groups and the carers' burden was determined by a multiple regression analysis.
Results:
The analysis was performed with 190 files. Six groups of disorders were individualized: memory and orientation problems, aggressive or dangerous behaviors, regressive behaviors, disruptive behaviors, wandering, mood disturbance and agitation. These 6 factors explain 43.2% of the variance of the carer's burden. Each factor is linked to the BI score and 3 behavioral typologies are specially related to the carers BI: regressive behaviors (R = 0.49), disruptive behaviors (R = 0.51), and mood disturbance with agitation (R = 0.53).
Conclusion:
This study shows that it is possible to differentiate specific behavioral typologies in elderly, which explain a limited part of the carer's burden.