The Effect of Caregiver Burden on Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours of People Caring for Patients With Alzheimer's Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effects of caregiver burden on the healthy lifestyle behaviours of people caring for patients with Alzheimer's disease. Methods: The Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) and the Healthy Lifestyle Behaviour Scale-II (HLBS-II) were administered to caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients who were admitted to the Neurology Department Dementia Outpatient Clinic of a university hospital in Ankara (n = 84). Independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation and linear regression analysis were used in the study. Results: A moderate, negative and statistically significant correlation was found between CBI and HLBS-II (r = ?0.40; p < 0.001). The effect of CBI on HLBS-II was significant even in the presence of control variables (b = ?0.29; p < 0.05). The increase in social burden (b = ?0.92; p < 0.05) and developmental burden (b = ?0.65; p = 0.053) of the CBI dimensions caused a decrease in healthy lifestyle behaviours. Conclusions: Effective home care for Alzheimer's patients requires caregivers to maintain their own good health. This study demonstrates that increased caregiver burden, particularly in social and developmental domains, negatively impacts their healthy lifestyle behaviours. Policies should focus on reducing this burden to enhance caregiver well-being and ensure sustainable home care. © 2026 The Author(s). Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Nordic College of Caring Science.