Dysphagia Symptoms Contribute to Greater Care Partner Burden in Neurodegenerative Disease.

PURPOSE: Providing care for family members with neurodegenerative diseases entails significant physical and psychosocial costs, increasing caregiver burden. Limited research exists on the factors contributing to dysphagia-related burden, particularly across disease trajectories. This study aimed to (a) determine if dysphagia-related burden predicts general caregiver burden, (b) identify predictors of dysphagia-related burden, and (c) examine relationships between dysphagia severity, disease severity, and dysphagia-related burden.

METHOD: Care partners (N = 211; 80% female; Mage = 60 ± 14 years) from clinics in Canada, New Zealand, and the United States participated. Care recipients included those with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; n = 48), dementia (n = 110), and Parkinson's disease (PD; n = 53). General burden was measured using the Zarit Burden Interview, while dysphagia-related burden was assessed via the Caregiver Assessment of Reported Experiences with Swallowing Difficulties. Multiple regression analyses examined predictors of general and dysphagia-related burden and their relationships to dysphagia and disease severity.

RESULTS

Higher general burden was associated with female caregivers (β = -.19, p = .05), higher education (β = .16, p = .03), caring for someone with dementia (β = .36, p = .01), and greater dysphagia-related burden (β = .33, p = .01). Predictors of dysphagia-related burden included working caregivers (β = .15, p = .01), increased dysphagia symptoms (β = .77, p < .01), and caring for individuals with ALS or dementia (vs. PD; β = -.16, p = .02). Dysphagia burden varied by disease severity and diet tolerance (p < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

Managing dysphagia independently contributes to caregiver burden, potentially increasing burnout and nonadherence to clinical recommendations. Early, proactive inquiry about dysphagia-related care partner burden and provision of support to minimize burden should be considered early in disease management.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.28843055.