How patients with dementia influence caregiver burden using the Dementia Assessment Sheet for Community‐based Integrated Care System‐21 items (DASC‐21) and Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI)

Background Dementia is a disease that is frequently associated with significant caregiving burden. The present study was conducted on patients with dementia in order to investigate the causes of caregiver burden using the Dementia Assessment Sheet for Community‐based Integrated Care System‐21 items (DASC‐21) and Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI). Methods The study subjects consisted of 206 elderly patients (mean age: 80.9 ± 5.9 years) with dementia in an outpatient clinic. Current age, gender, type of dementia, Mini‐Mental State Examination, Hasegawa Dementia Scale‐Revised, Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and the DASC‐21 were investigated. Caregiver burden was assessed by using the ZBI. Behavioural and Psychological Symptom of Dementia (BPSD) were evaluated by using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). Simple regression analysis for the ZBI was performed with respective risk factors as independent variables. Thereafter, multiple regression analysis was performed. Results The mean ZBI score was 28.0 ± 18.1, whereas mean DASC‐21 score was 44.4 ± 13.2. Simple regression analysis for the ZBI was performed with respective risk factors as independent variables. The DASC‐21 (P