The Use of Behavior and Mood Medications by Care-recipients in Dementia and Caregiver Depression and Perceived Overall Health

Mark Oremus, Hossein Yazdi and Parminder Raina

Social and Economic Dimensions of an Aging Population Research Papers from McMaster University

Abstract: The mental and physical health of dementia caregivers has been shown to be worse than that of non-caregivers. The present study was undertaken to investigate whether the caregivers of persons who take medications for behavior and mood problems in dementia are less depressed, and perceive their overall health to be better, than the caregivers of persons who do not take such medications. Behavior and mood medications include anti-psychotics, anti- depressants, and anti-convulsants. The Canadian Study of Health and Aging was used to identify informal, unpaid caregivers of persons with dementia (i.e., Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, or other dementia [e.g., Parkinson's disease]). The caregivers of persons diagnosed with cognitive impairment not dementia or no cognitive impairment were also included in the study. Care-recipient use of behavior and mood medications was not found to affect caregiver depression (OR = 1.02; 95% CI = 0.62 to 1.66) or caregiver's perceived overall health (OR = 1.35; 95% CI = 0.80 to 2.27).

Keywords: dementia; caregiver; medication; behavior; mood (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 28 pages
Date: 2007-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea
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