Home › Research › Clinical safety
Caring Under Pressure: Perceived Stress Among Caregivers of Dementia Patients
O. Inanc. European Psychiatry, 2025-04-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Introduction Dementia is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a gradual decline in cognitive functions, such as memory, reasoning, and communication, which places a significant burden on caregivers. Results The review consistently identified high levels of perceived stress among dementia caregivers. Cortisol levels, assessed in three studies, were significantly elevated in caregivers compared to non-caregivers (Williams et al., 2021; Kim & Park, 2022; Nguyen et al., 2023). Perceived stress showed a significant correlation with cognitive decline and sundowning behaviors. The review also identified that higher education was associated with reduced anxiety and depression, while female caregivers reported higher stress levels compared to males (Miller et al., 2022).
Key findings
- Introduction Dementia is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a gradual decline in cognitive functions, such as memory, reasoning, and communication, which places a significant burden on caregivers.
- Results The review consistently identified high levels of perceived stress among dementia caregivers.
- Cortisol levels, assessed in three studies, were significantly elevated in caregivers compared to non-caregivers (Williams et al., 2021; Kim & Park, 2022; Nguyen et al., 2023).
- Perceived stress showed a significant correlation with cognitive decline and sundowning behaviors.
- The review also identified that higher education was associated with reduced anxiety and depression, while female caregivers reported higher stress levels compared to males (Miller et al., 2022).
Why it matters
This review found consistently high levels of perceived stress among dementia caregivers, with elevated cortisol compared to non-caregivers. It addresses caregiver wellbeing rather than treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer's disease itself.
Study details
- Study designsystematic review
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 46/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a systematic review of all the studies on the question. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported and studied in people because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 44 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 46 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (European Psychiatry) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | European Psychiatry: journal h-index 143 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A systematic review of all the studies on the question |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author O. Inanc holds only 5 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Gülhane Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi: institution h-index 58 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 44 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 44 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 46 out of 100. |
| Total | 46 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Inanc, O. (2025). Caring Under Pressure: Perceived Stress Among Caregivers of Dementia Patients. European Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2025.1593
Vancouver
Inanc O. Caring Under Pressure: Perceived Stress Among Caregivers of Dementia Patients. European Psychiatry. 2025. doi:10.1192/j.eurpsy.2025.1593.
BibTeX
@article{inanc2025-30f29f07,
author = {Inanc, O.},
title = {{Caring Under Pressure: Perceived Stress Among Caregivers of Dementia Patients}},
journal = {European Psychiatry},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1192/j.eurpsy.2025.1593},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2025.1593}
}
Related studies in Clinical safety
Also tagged “care”
996 studies in the library carry the topic tag “care”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 996 tagged studies.