Factores de riesgo para la sobrecarga en cuidadores informales de personas mayores con demencia: una revisión rápida de las últimas evidencias

Introduction. The number of elderly people is increasing, and this brings with it an increase in age-related diseases such as dementia. It is characterized by the loss of memory or other mental functions, which incapacitates patients and requires care from other people, the informal caregivers. The objective of this review was to analyse the risk factors that contribute to burden in informal caregivers of elderly patients with dementia. Methodology. A rapid review with systematic methodology was performed in the MEDLINE (PubMed), developing a search strategy (MeSH terms, keywords, and Boolean operators). Results. A total of 16 articles were included with different methodologies. Data were obtained about the degree of dementia in the elderly, caregiver profile and burden using the Zarit Burden Interview scale, and factors that affect suffering greater burden. It was observed that most of the caregivers are middle-aged women and that they cohabit with the elderly without consideration of the place of origin of the patient. Caregivers of patients with dementia are more burdened than caregivers of patients without dementia. Discussion. Caregivers with greater levels of stress and anxiety and lower than median knowledge of the disease scored worse on the Zarit Burden Interview scale. Attention should be focused on risk factors to avoid overload, and social, economic, emotional, and family support is also necessary.