DEMENTIA CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM IN VIETNAM: DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION AND FIRST RESULTS

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundPrevious studies on support programs including psychoeducation, care training, and counselling have shown to be beneficial for family dementia caregivers with the potential to reduce care giver burden. In this pre‐post study, we aimed to assess the effects of a new support program to reduce caregivers’ burden.MethodsWe developed and conducted a 4‐week support program (4 sessions, 1.5 hours each). An 8‐module course developed by the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and the German Alzheimer’s Society was culturally adapted to fit into the Vietnamese context. Caregivers of people with dementia were invited to participate in the program at Hospital 30‐4 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.Caregiver burden was assessed with the 22‐item Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) at baseline and after the intervention using the Wilcoxon signed‐rank test.ResultsA total of 15 caregivers underwent the study. The mean age was 52.7 years, 67% of patients were women, the mean time duration of care was 16 (±9.5, max 30) months. Wilcoxon signed‐rank test indicated that median ZBI scores post‐intervention (median = 40) were not statistically significant difference to the median pre‐intervention (median = 44, Z = 34.5, p = 0.26).ConclusionOur study showed no statistically significant change of burden, however, a tendency towards a reduction of the ZBI score after the intervention. The reasons for not reaching significance might be the small sample size of the intervention. Furthermore, the ZBI assessment directly after the end of the program might miss the effect of the intervention as participants will need time for the implementation of new coping strategies.