Changes in Caregiver Burden, Psychological Distress, and Depressive Symptoms Following a Physician-Led Standardized Counseling and Education Program for Caregivers of Patients With Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Multicenter Pre–Post Study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Background and Purpose: Family caregivers of people with dementia carry psychological burden, yet brief physician-delivered caregiver counseling within routine hospital care is neither standardized nor routinely reimbursed in Korea. We evaluated changes in caregiver distress, burden, and depressive symptoms after a structured, hospital-based counseling and education program delivered by physicians. Methods: This secondary analysis used data from a Korean Dementia Association multicenter pilot project at 25 hospitals. Primary caregivers of patients with mild cognitive impairment or dementia completed a 6-item distress checklist, the 4-item Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), and the 15-item Short-Form Geriatric Depression Scale (SGDepS) before and within 7 days after a single session (45 minutes). Pre-post changes were tested with Wilcoxon signed-rank tests; baseline-adjusted and multivariable regression models explored characteristics associated with change. Results: <0.001), with reductions in 31.2%, 51.0%, and 44.6% of caregivers, respectively. No patient or caregiver characteristic was associated with the magnitude of change after baseline adjustment. Satisfaction was high (4.3±0.8 of 5) and weakly correlated with greater reductions in distress (ρ=-0.17) and burden (ρ=-0.16). Conclusions: A brief, physician-led caregiver counseling program using standardized materials with tailored module selection, integrated into hospital dementia care was followed by short-term reductions in caregiver distress, burden, and depressive symptoms with high acceptability, supporting controlled evaluation and policy consideration of its reimbursement.
Authors: Hee-Jung Ha, Geon Ha Kim, Seong Hye Choi, Min Young Chun, Yun Jeong Hong, Jihye Hwang, Jae-Won Jang, Da Won Jeong, Eun-Joo Kim, Hee-Jin Kim, Ko Woon Kim, Yeshin Kim, Bon D. Ku, Eun Ah Lee, Eun Hye Lee, Sun Min Lee, So Young Moon, Yeonsil Moon, Ye Sol Mun, Duk L. Na, Haeri Na, Seunghee Na, Jinse Park, Kee Hyung Park, Kun-Woo Park, YongSoo Shim, Dong Won Yang, Jiyoung Yeom, Rayoung Yoo, Bora Yoon, Soo Jin Yoon, Jee Hyang Jeong
Institutions: Ewha Womans University, Ewha Womans University Medical Center, Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, Inha University, Inha University Hospital, Yonsei University, Yongin Severance Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University of Korea, Konkuk University, Konkuk University Medical Center, Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan National University, Hanyang University, Jeonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonbuk National University, Catholic Kwandong University International St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic Kwandong University, National Medical Center, Ajou University, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University, Bobath memorial hospital, The Catholic University of Korea Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, Inje University Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Gachon University Medical Center, Korea University Anam Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Eulji University, Daejeon Eulji Medical Center, Eulji University
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
Funder: Ministry of Health and Welfare
OpenAlex ID: W7224915704