Helping Carers to Care: feasibility of the 10/66 Dementia Research Group caregiver intervention in rural Benin

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundIn sub‐Saharan Africa, the number of people living with dementia is expected to double every 20 years, from 2.7 to 7.6 million. The shortage of trained health professionals leads family members of older people living with dementia to provide informal care. However, lack of knowledge and understanding about dementia leads to difficulties. There is therefore an urgent need to develop interventions to improve the lives of people with dementia and their families in this region. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of the Helping Carers to Care (HC2C) caregiver intervention in rural Benin.MethodThis was a before‐and‐after quasi‐experimental study conducted from January to December 2022 in Djidja‐Abomey‐Agbangnizoun, Benin. Two groups of 30 dyad (caregiver / person with dementia) were to receive the intervention in the beginning of the trial or six months later. The intervention consisted of three modules: 1) assessment; 2) basic education about dementia; and 3) training regarding specific problem behaviors. Main outcome measures for caregivers and patients with dementia were assessed at baseline, at 3‐month and at 6‐month. For caregivers, measures included strain (Zarit Burden Interview), psychological distress (SRQ‐20), and quality of life (WHOQOL‐BREF). Dementia participants completed scales assessing behavioral and psychological symptoms (NPI‐Q) and quality of life (DEMQOL).ResultThe study population consisted of 22 elderly people living with dementia and their primary caregiver divided into two groups ‐ control and intervention ‐ of 11 dyads. Both groups were similar with regards to sex, education, marital status, occupation, dementia severity but people in the control group were older. Participation rate was 100% and most of them found the intervention beneficial and advisable to others in the same situation. Full description of the outcomes and group differences at different times will be presented in details.ConclusionThe need for such intervention among the families of people living with dementia in Benin is obvious. Preliminary results show that implementation is challenging in rural Benin, where dementia awareness is low and care structures are lacking. These results will add to the scarce evidence on feasibility and benefits of caregiver interventions in low‐and middle‐income countries.