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Differential features of burden between spouse and adult-child caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease: an exploratory comparative design
Conde-Sala JL, Garre-Olmo J, Turró-Garriga O, Vilalta-Franch J, López-Pousa S.. International journal of nursing studies, 2010-04-05
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Research into burden among spouse and adult-child caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease has generated contradictory results as regards the group which suffers the greatest burden and the factors underlying any differences. Objectives The aim of the present study was to identify and compare the factors associated with caregiver burden among spouse and adult-child caregivers. Design Cross-sectional analytic study. Settings All clinical subjects had been referred on an out-patient basis to the Memory and Dementia Assessment Unit of the Santa Caterina Hospital in Girona (Spain). Participants Data were collected from 251 patients and their caregivers, 112 with spouse and 139 with adult-child caregivers. Methods The association between caregiver burden and the socio-demographic and clinical variables of both patients and caregivers was analysed, the results being compared for spouse vs. adult-child caregivers. Burden was analysed using a multivariate linear regression including all the variables for the two groups of caregivers. Results The results show greater burden among adult-child caregivers (p Conclusion The differences in burden between spouse and adult-child caregivers were not associated with age, physical health or clinical factors of the patients. Overall burden was greater among adult-child caregivers, especially those who lived with the patient and who had other family duties. Feelings of guilt were associated with not living with the patient, and there was a strong correlation between burden and mental health. These results support the hypothesis that spouses regard caregiving as part of their marital duties, whereas for adult children such tasks imply an important change in their lifestyle.
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APA 7th
Conde-Sala, J. L., Garre-Olmo, J., Turró-Garriga, O., Vilalta-Franch, J., & López-Pousa, S. (2010). Differential features of burden between spouse and adult-child caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease: an exploratory comparative design. International journal of nursing studies. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2010.03.001
Vancouver
Conde-Sala JL, Garre-Olmo J, Turró-Garriga O, Vilalta-Franch J, López-Pousa S. Differential features of burden between spouse and adult-child caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease: an exploratory comparative design. International journal of nursing studies. 2010. doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2010.03.001. PMID: 20374966.
BibTeX
@article{condesala2010-20374966,
author = {Conde-Sala, J. L. and Garre-Olmo, J. and Turró-Garriga, O. and Vilalta-Franch, J. and López-Pousa, S.},
title = {{Differential features of burden between spouse and adult-child caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease: an exploratory comparative design}},
journal = {International journal of nursing studies},
year = {2010},
doi = {10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2010.03.001},
pmid = {20374966},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2010.03.001}
}
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Key findings
- Background Research into burden among spouse and adult-child caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease has generated contradictory results as regards the group which suffers the greatest burden and the factors underlying any differences.
- Objectives The aim of the present study was to identify and compare the factors associated with caregiver burden among spouse and adult-child caregivers.
- Methods The association between caregiver burden and the socio-demographic and clinical variables of both patients and caregivers was analysed, the results being compared for spouse vs. adult-child caregivers.
- Results The results show greater burden among adult-child caregivers (p Conclusion The differences in burden between spouse and adult-child caregivers were not associated with age, physical health or clinical factors of the patients.
- Overall burden was greater among adult-child caregivers, especially those who lived with the patient and who had other family duties.
Why it matters
In 251 families seen at a memory clinic in Girona, Spain, adult children caring for a parent with Alzheimer's reported more burden than spouses did, "especially those who lived with the patient and who had other family duties"; burden was strongly correlated with the caregiver's mental health, and guilt was linked to not living with the patient. The authors suggest spouses see care as part of marriage while for adult children it is "an important change in their lifestyle", a hypothesis, not a proven cause. It is a one-clinic, one-time-point snapshot of caregiver experience and says nothing about treating or preventing the disease.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants251
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 52/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (International journal of nursing studies) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | International Journal of Nursing Studies: journal h-index 210 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2010 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 251 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 282 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 15.7 citations a year over 18 year(s) since 2010 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 9 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 43 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Secundino López Pousa: h-index 41 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Universitat de Barcelona: institution h-index 1,049 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 20374966) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 52 / 100 | — |
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