Abstract
Parkinson’s disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder in which dementia is a common complication, leading to increased functional impairment and patient dependency. This condition not only adversely affects patients’ quality of life but also imposes a substantial burden on primary caregivers. In patients with Parkinson’s disease and dementia, caregiving burden is multidimensional and complex due to the combined effects of motor dysfunction and cognitive–behavioral impairment. In the context of population aging in Vietnam, evaluating caregiver burden and its associated factors is essential for informing appropriate care and support strategies.
Objectives: To assess the burden of primary caregivers and to identify factors associated with caregiver burden in patients with Parkinson’s disease and dementia.
Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at the National Institute of Neurology, Bach Mai Hospital, from June 2024 to September 2025. The study included 100 patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease according to the United Kingdom Parkinson’s Disease Society Brain Bank (UKPDSBB) criteria, with dementia defined based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), along with their primary caregivers.
Results: Females accounted for a higher proportion among both patients (52%) and primary caregivers (57%). The majority of patients had moderate to severe dementia (86%), while 14% had very severe dementia; no cases of mild dementia were identified. Caregiver burden, measured using the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), was higher in female caregivers than in males (56.12 ± 5.83 vs. 53.19 ± 5.61). Caregivers engaged in intellectual occupations experienced a lower caregiving burden than manual laborers; however, this difference was not statistically significant. Adult children caring for their parents reported a higher burden compared with spousal caregivers. Factors significantly associated with caregiver burden included physical burden, psychological/emotional burden, social burden, financial burden, patient dependency, and caregiver self-criticism (p < 0.05).
Conclusions: Dementia in patients with Parkinson’s disease significantly increases the burden on primary caregivers, underscoring the need for comprehensive attention from clinical practice, community health services, and social policy to improve the quality of care and quality of life for both patients and their caregivers.