A meta-analysis of the prevalence of anxiety in informal dementia caregivers and the efficacy of low-intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy-based interventions for dementia caregivers

Kaddour, Laura (2017) A meta-analysis of the prevalence of anxiety in informal dementia caregivers and the efficacy of low-intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy-based interventions for dementia caregivers. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

Objectives: To quantitatively synthesize both the prevalence of anxiety caseness in informal dementia caregivers, and the efficacy of low-intensity CBT-based interventions on the outcomes of anxiety, depression, burden, and distress (defined as stress/strain).

Methods: Systematic literature searches were conducted using electronic databases for published and unpublished literature. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted using events and sample size data to obtain a pooled anxiety prevalence estimate. Four random-effects meta-analyses were conducted using pre and post intervention outcome measures to obtain pooled effects of low-intensity CBT-based intervention on anxiety, depression, burden and distress.

Results: Ten studies were included in the analysis of anxiety prevalence, resulting in a pooled estimate of anxiety prevalence at 32.1 percent (95% CI 20.6% to 46.2%, p=0.01). Significant heterogeneity was found, which could not be fully explored by subsequent sensitivity and subgroup analyses, due the limited number of studies. The number of studies included in the low-intensity CBT-based intervention meta-analyses differed across outcomes (anxiety N = 5; depression N = 12; burden N = 3; distress N = 6). The meta-analyses demonstrated significant reductions of all outcome variables. Small effects sizes were found for the reduction of anxiety (g = 0.35), depression (g = 0.27) and distress (g = 0.33). A medium effect was found for burden (g = 0.53).

Conclusions: Anxiety is a prevalent psychological difficulty experienced by informal dementia caregivers and should be afforded greater attention in the dementia caregiver literature. Low-intensity CBT-based interventions show initial promise in reducing anxiety, depression, burden and distress in dementia caregivers, however more research is required to establish the most important aspects of such interventions. Additional research recommendations and clinical implications are discussed. Limitations of both studies should be considered prior to generalising results.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
Depositing User:	Users 9280 not found.
Date Deposited:	06 Nov 2018 11:48
Last Modified:	06 Nov 2018 11:48
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/68778
DOI:

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