Caregiver burden on sexual intimacy and marital satisfaction

SUMMARY Objective: This study investigates affective and sexual dimensions in partners involved as caregivers of Alzheimer dementia (AD) subjects. A negative correlation between burden of the caregiver and sexual-affective quality of life was assumed. Design and methods: Hundred participants with AD partner (33 male, 67 female), aged between 55 and 85 years were recruited and data were collected from the Caregiver Burden Inventory scale and a semi-structured interview that included demographic information, medical history, relationship and sexual satisfaction, and current sexual function. AD group was compared with a control group (CG) (N ¼ 100) matched for age, sex, education and marital status on measures of the semi-structured interview. Data were analysed using frequency count, univariate analysis (chi-squared and ANOVA) and bivariate correlation. Results: The findings revealed that mean burden level was 31.59 (SD 19.51). A difference between experimental and CGs was found for sexual and affective marital satisfaction (p < 0.05). The same variables showed a rather negative correlation with total burden levels (r ¼ )0.374, p < 0.001; r ¼ )0.448, p < 0.001). What's known Alzheimer dementia and the global impairment of intellectual function, as well as its physiological correlates, have strong influence on the quality of life with the consequent need of assistance which could determine a high burden level in the caregiver. The attendant cognitive changes that occur in the Alzheimer patient present many, often conflicting, challenges to a couple's sexual functioning 2,