The experience of burnout among home caregivers of patients with dementia: Relations to depression and quality of life

Abstract

Caregivers of patients with dementia often experience chronic and emotional strains, which may lead to emotional exhaustion and burnout. The objective of this study was to examine the relationships between burnout, depression, and quality of life in home caregivers of patients with dementia. The participants were 84 home caregivers (39 male; 45 female), and they were asked to complete three questionnaires: the Beck Depression Inventory Second Edition (BDI-II), the WHO Quality of Life 26 (WHO-QOL26), and the Pines Burnout Measure (BM). Results from a bivariate correlation showed that BM scores significantly correlated with the scores on BDI-II and WHO-QOL26. Results from ANOVA comparing the level of burnout with the scores on BDI-II and WHO-QOL26 revealed that there were differences between the burnout groups and the scores on BDI-II and WHO-QOL26. The higher levels of burnout were found to correspond to higher levels of depressive symptoms and lower QOL. These findings suggest that caregiver intervention to reduce burnout might benefit from strategies to reduce depression and increase QOL.