Factors associated with social participation in Brazilian older adults with Alzheimer's disease: A correlational, cross-sectional study.

Abstract

The occurrence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) can exert a negative impact in social participation in affected older adults. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether social participation in older adults with AD is associated with disease stage and cognitive function as well as the quality of life and depressive symptoms in their caregivers. A correlational, cross-sectional study was conducted in 40 older adults with AD (28 women and 12 men) and 40 caregivers (30 women and 10 men). Social participation was assessed using the 'social participation' domain of the Activities of Daily Living Questionnaire. Disease stage was determined using the Clinical Dementia Rating scale and cognitive function was assessed using Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination. Quality of life and depressive symptoms in the caregivers were evaluated using the Quality of Life Assessment Scale on Alzheimer's Disease and Beck Depression Inventory respectively. The older adults with AD had a mean percentage of 59.4% on the social participation domain and a mean score of 49.0 for cognitive function. The caregivers had mean scores of 39.1 for quality of life and 9.9 for depressive symptoms. The stepwise backward multiple linear regression model indicated that the predictors analysed together explained 48% of the variability in social participation among older adults with AD. Therefore, lower social participation among older adults with AD is associated with more advanced stages of the disease and cognitive decline in these individuals as well as a lower perception of quality of life and greater levels of depressive symptoms in their caregivers.