Effects of the multidisciplinary interventions for caregivers with and without care recipients

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which two multidisciplinary interventions (MDI); individual caregiver (IC) and pair-course (PC) in the rehabilitation centre (RC) influence in depressive... [ view full abstract ]

Background:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which two multidisciplinary interventions (MDI); individual caregiver (IC) and pair-course (PC) in the rehabilitation centre (RC) influence in depressive symptoms, quality of life and caregiver burden of caregivers of impaired persons. Both interventions included three five-day RC-periods during one year and one home visit.
Method:
Nonrandomized, controlled trial with caregivers (n=64) and caregiver-care recipient dyads (n=67) in the seven RCs in Finland. The control group included 49 caregivers without MDI. The outcome measures consisted of depressive symptoms (BDI-II), quality of life (WHOQoL-BREF) and caregiver burden (COPE Index). Assessments were completed at the beginning (0 months) and end of the intervention (12 months) for the intervention groups and within a 12 months’ time period for the control group.
Results:
In the physical health domain of WHOQoL a statistically significant interaction effect between time and intervention grouping (p = 0.016) indicated that mean level dropped statistically significantly in control group relative to IC (p = 0.016) and PC (p = 0.007). There was no statistically significant interaction for caregiver burden, but mean level increased statistically significantly in control group relative to PC (p = 0.047). BDI-II did not show statistically significant changes.
Conclusion:
MDI were beneficial to increase caregivers´ physical health domain of quality of life. Also, caregiver burden did not increase in the pair-course intervention.
Application to Practice:
Caregiver burden seems to increase over time without MDI and further development of interventions is needed to support caregivers’ psychological well-being.