Burden, anxiety, and depression in caregivers of Alzheimer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Dominican Republic
Burden, anxiety, and depression in caregivers of Alzheimer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Dominican Republic

Summary/Abstract: Introduction: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) advancement imposes tremendous burdens on caregivers, increasing the patient’s dependency demand. Confinement and social interaction disruption increase the risk of mental health problems. We aimed to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic confinement on AD patients’ caregivers, hypothesizing that the superimposed burden can affect their mental health. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study on 221 caregivers of Alzheimer’s disease patients in Santiago, Dominican Republic. Caregivers were evaluated using the short form Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Yesavage Depression Scale (GDS) using scores and intensity as outcome measures. Results: Participants’ ages ranged from 18-76years, with 82.4% female. The intense burden was present in 59.3% of caregivers, severe anxiety in 19.5%, and 32.6% with symptoms of depression. Pearson coefficients showed positive correlations between anxiety and depression (R2=0.298, p < 0.001), caregiver burden and anxiety (R2=0.313, p<0.001) and burden and depression (R2=0.216, p=0.001). Conclusions: During the pandemic, caregivers had an intense burden. Anxiety and depression are associated with this burden; therefore, to mitigate the sequels of the worldwide COVID-19 confinement, health professionals should include a thorough caregiver mental health assessment when routine consultations resume.

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