Disabil Rehabil 2001 Nov 20;23(17):768-76
Chipchase SY, Lincoln NB.
School of Psychology, University
of Nottingham, UK.
PURPOSE:
To examine the factors associated
with strain in carers of people with multiple sclerosis (MS).
METHOD:
People with MS were recruited from
an MS management clinic. Demographic information, memory, executive function,
attention/concentration, mood, disability and health of the person with
MS, the carer's opinion of the care-recipient's memory and disability,
and the carer's mood were recorded. A postal questionnaire to identify
factors associated with carer strain was sent to carers. A further questionnaire
was sent to carers to examine the association between memory problems in
people with MS and carer strain.
RESULTS:
Problems with everyday memory and
activities of daily living were found to be associated with carer strain.
Strained carers perceived strain to be a consequence of the memory problems
(p < 0.01). Aspects of the memory problems related to carer strain were
the amount of time a carer could spend alone (p = 0.01), the carer's mood
and less sympathetic feelings towards the person with MS (p < 0.05).
Strained carers had more desire for other people to help the person with
MS deal with the memory problems by themselves than carers who were not
under strain (p = 0.03).
CONCLUSION:
Carer strain was associated with
memory problems experienced by people with MS.
PMID: 11762879 [PubMed - in process]