Quality of life of unpaid caregivers of elderly people living with dementia: iSupport-Brazil Study

• Grant number: 25/02939-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Public Health
• Principal Investigator: Aline Cristina Martins Gratao
• Grantee: Kethelyn Izabella Almeida Silva
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The prevalence of dementia in elderly people has been growing considerably in recent years.Studies indicate that dementia impacts not only the elderly themselves and society, but alsocaregivers, who are often exposed to stressors that can contribute to a worsening of theirquality of life. In that regard, this project aims to evaluate and identify factors related to thequality of life of unpaid caregivers of elderly people living with dementia. This is across-sectional study with a quantitative, intentional, non-probabilistic approach, conducted inan online format. The sample will consist of unpaid caregivers of elderly people living withdementia, aged 18 or over, who have been performing care activities for at least six months atthe time of recruitment and have access to a smartphone, computer or tablet connected to theinternet. The following research instruments will be used: an initial assessment questionnaireto characterize the sociodemographic and care profile; Ascertain Dementia 8 (AD8); SingleItem Burden Scale (S01); Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI); Hospital Anxiety and DepressionScale (HADS); Quality of Life - Alzheimer Disease (QoL-AD). The data obtained will beanalyzed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences® for Windows®, in whichdescriptive and relational statistical analyses will be performed. All stages of the project willfollow the ethical aspects of research involving human beings.