Helping Carers to Care: implementation of the 10/66 Dementia Research Group caregiver intervention in rural Benin
Résumé
Background: In sub-Saharan Africa, the number of people living with dementia is expected to double
every 20 years. The shortage of trained health professionals leads family members of older people living
with dementia to provide informal care. There is therefore an urgent need to develop interventions to
improve the lives of people with dementia and their families in this region. The objective of this study
was to determine the feasibility of the Helping Carers to Care (HC2C) caregiver intervention in rural
Benin.
Method: This was a before-and-after quasi-experimental study conducted from January to December
2022 in Djidja-Abomey-Agbangnizoun, Benin. Two groups of 30 dyad (caregiver / person with dementia)
were to receive the intervention in the beginning of the trial or six months later. The intervention
consisted of three modules: 1) assessment; 2) basic education about dementia; and 3) training regarding
specific problem behaviors. Main outcome measures for caregivers and patients with dementia were
assessed at baseline, at 3-month and at 6-month. For caregivers, measures included strain (Zarit Burden
Interview), psychological distress (SRQ-20), and quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF). Dementia participants
completed scales assessing behavioural and psychological symptoms (NPI-Q) and quality of life
(DEMQOL).
Result: Study population consisted of 22 elderly people living with dementia and their primary caregiver
divided into two groups - control and intervention - of 11 dyads. Both groups were similar with regards
to sex, education, marital status, occupation, dementia severity but people in the control group were
older. Participation rate was 100%. After the intervention, only the participants' quality of life scores
was statistically different in the intervention group, but not the caregiver burden or quality of life
scores.
Conclusion: Preliminary results show that implementation is challenging in rural Benin, where dementia
awareness is low and care structures are lacking.
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