Table 4 GP questionnaire results
From: Identifying the needs of natural caregivers caring for a person with dementia: a mixed method study
GPs who care for the person with dementia and the caregiver | n/N (%) |
When do you look after the caregiver? | |
During a consultation with the person with dementia | 132/197 (67.0) |
During a long consultation with the caregiver dedicated to their role as a caregiver | 41/197 (20.8) |
During a consultation with the caregiver for another reason | 149/197 (75.6) |
During a long evaluation visit of the patient-caregiver dyad at home | 71/197 (36.0) |
At the explicit request of the caregiver | 95/197 (48.2) |
Do you screen for caregiver exhaustion? | |
Routinely | 36/197 (18.3) |
Often | 83/197 (42.1) |
Sometimes | 45/197 (22.8) |
No | 33/197 (16.8) |
If yes, do you use evaluation tools? | |
ZARIT mini-scale | 5/190 (2.6) |
None | 185/190 (97.4) |
Do you assess the unmet needs of the caregiver and person with dementia in terms of support? | |
Routinely | 36/196 (18.4) |
Often | 79/196 (40.3) |
Sometimes | 58/196 (29.6) |
No | 23/196 (11.7) |
Do you rely on social structures to help you and coordinate care? | |
Routinely | 39/196 (19.9) |
Often | 82/196 (41.8) |
Sometimes | 57/196 (29.1) |
No | 18/196 (9.2) |
What support do you offer the caregivers? | |
Individual or group psychoeducation | 36/199 (18.1) |
Telephone or internet support | 7/199 (3.5) |
Individual or family psychotherapy | 45/199 (22.6) |
Support group with other families or caregivers | 75/199 (37.7) |
Caregiver training course | 39/199 (19.6) |
Referral to respite | 174/199 (87.4) |
None | 11/199 (5.5) |
Do you screen for depression? | |
Routinely | 26/197 (13.2) |
Often | 77/197 (39.1) |
Sometimes | 70/197 (35.5) |
No | 24/197 (12.2) |
Do you screen for sleep disorders? | |
Routinely | 31/197 (15.7) |
Often | 80/197 (40.6) |
Sometimes | 66/197 (33.5) |
No | 20/197 (10.2) |
Do you screen for caregiver autonomy? | |
Routinely | 35/197 (17.8) |
Often | 60/197 (30.5) |
Sometimes | 55/197 (27.9) |
No | 44/197 (22.3) |
Do you screen the nutritional status of the caregiver? | |
Routinely | 14/196 (7.1) |
Often | 34/196 (17.3) |
Sometimes | 65/196 (33.2) |
No | 83/196 (42.3) |
GPs caring for the person with dementia but not the caregiver | |
Do you contact the caregiver directly? | |
Routinely | 58/191 (30.3) |
Often | 65/191 (34.0) |
Sometimes | 46/191 (24.1) |
No | 22/191 (11.5) |
Do you have difficulty identifying the caregiver of the person with dementia? | |
Routinely | 1/192 (0.5) |
Often | 11/192 (5.7) |
Sometimes | 87/192 (45.3) |
No | 91/192 (47.4) |
Do you record the identity of the caregiver in the medical records of the person with dementia? | |
Routinely | 88/192 (45.8) |
Often | 53/192 (27.6) |
Sometimes | 28/192 (14.6) |
No | 23/192 (12.0) |
When the caregiver is cared for by another GP, do you think this makes it more difficult to provide support? | |
Yes | 101/192 (52.6) |
No | 91/192 (47.4) |
Do you contact the caregiver’s GP to advise them about the caregiver’s situation? | |
Routinely | 4/192 (2.1) |
Often | 15/192 (7.8) |
Sometimes | 65/192 (33.9) |
No | 108/192 (56.3) |
GPs caring for the caregiver but not the person with dementia | |
How do you identify the caregiver | |
From the patient directly | 192/199 (96.5) |
From the person with dementia ‘s GP | 3/199 (1.5) |
From the’person with dementia s specialist | 3/199 (1.5) |
Other | 1/199 (0.5) |
What support do you most commonly offer? | |
A long consultation dedicated to the caregiver’s role | 51/168 (30.4) |
A long evaluation visit of the patient-caregiver dyad at home | 28/168 (16.7) |
Referral to a nearby social organisation | 66/168 (39.3) |
Referral to a patient or family support group | 51/168 (30.4) |
Information about financial and medical-social support | 86/168 (51.2) |
What are the main points covered during a consultation with the caregiver? | |
Caregiver nutrition | 15/194 (7.7) |
Caregiver sleep | 104/194 (53.6) |
Cardiovascular risk factors | 13/194 (6.7) |
Anxiety and depression | 163/194 (84.0) |
Joint disorders | 0 (0) |
Caregiver autonomy | 95/194 (49.0) |
Caregiver challenges | 151/194 (77.8) |
What support do you most often offer for these difficulties? | |
Human support (housekeeper, nurse) | 167/188 (88.8) |
Financial support | 128/188 (68.1) |
Psychological support | 19/188 (10.1) |
Respite | 118/188 (62.8) |
Social support | 81/188 (43.1) |
Caregiver training | 6/188 (3.2) |
Medication (anxiolytic, antidepressant) | 12/188 (6.4) |