A Study of Old Age Delirium and Quality of Life of Family Caregivers

Abstract

Objectives: To study the aetiology of patients of delirium in old age, to study the severity of delirium in old age and to study the quality of life of family caregivers of delirium patients. Design: Prospective, observational, and cross sectional. Setting: Inpatient tertiary care hospital setting. Participants: Subjects with the diagnosis of Delirium qualifying according to ICD-10 (international classification of disease-10) and confirmed with CAM scale aged >60 years and Patient or patient’s family members willing to give consent. Measurements: Socio-demographic questionnaire, Confusion assessment method, Delirium index, Delirium aetiology check list, ICD -10 DCR, WHO QOL BREF and the Barthel index. Results: There is no significant association between delirium severity and WHOQoL. There is no significant association between Barthel index and WHOQoL. There is no significant association between WHOQoL and delirium aetiologies. There is no significant association between gender and WHOQoL. There is no significant association between marital status and WHOQoL. There is no significant association between religion and WHOQoL. There is no significant association between WHOQol and education. There is significant association between WHOQoL and occupation. Emloyed subjects have better quality of life than unemployed. There is no significant association between WHO QoL and residence. There is no significant association between WHOQoL and duration of delirium. There is no significant association between WHOQoL and medical comorbidities. There is no significant association between WHOQoL and substance use. There is no significant association between medical comorbidities and delirium aetiology. There is significant association between delirium severity and duration of delirium. As duration of delirium increases severity of delirium increases. There is no significant association between duration of delirium and delirium aetiology. There is no significant association between delirium severity and medical comorbidities. Conclusions: In this study results showed that there is significant association between delirium is an acute illness with sudden onset with maximum percentage of duration 2-4 weeks, delirium is more in males than females, majority of the care givers are spouses and parents, multiple aetiologies, diminished psychological QoL are associated with increased care giver burden. Family history of delirium is associated with better care giver burden. Employed subjects with delirium have better overall QoL. As duration of delirium increases, delirium severity increases.