Journal
ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA
Volume 11, Issue 4, Pages 444-454Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2013.12.018
Keywords
Caregiving; Medical care; Cost; Dementia; Alzheimer's disease; Longitudinal study
Categories
Funding
- [AG07370]
- [RR00645]
- [U01AG010483]
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Objective: To examine the effects of caregiver and patient characteristics on caregivers' medical care use and cost. Methods: One hundred forty-seven caregiver/patient dyads were followed annually for 6 years in three academic Alzheimer's disease centers in the United States. Logistic, negative binomial, and generalized linear mixed models were used to examine overall effects of caregiver/patient characteristics on caregivers' hospitalizations, doctor visits, outpatient tests and procedures, and prescription and over-the-counter medications. Results: Patients' comorbid conditions and dependence were associated with increased health-care use and costs of caregivers. Increases in caregiver depressive symptoms are associated with increases in multiple domains of caregivers' health-care use and costs. Discussion: Findings suggest expanding our focus on dementia patients to include family caregivers to obtain a fuller picture of effects of caregiving. Primary care providers should integrate caregivers' needs in health-care planning and delivery. Clinical interventions that treat patients and caregivers as a whole will likely achieve the greatest beneficial effects. (C) 2015 The Alzheimer's Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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