This study examined in a large sample of dementia caregiving dyads the associations between both partners\' reports of unmet needs in persons with dementia (PwDs) and both partners\' health-related quality of life (HRQOL).
This was a cross-sectional self-report survey of 521 community-dwelling dyads in a pragmatic trial in the Netherlands. The Camberwell Needs Assessment was used to measure PwDs\' unmet needs. Both partners\' self-reported their HRQOL using the EuroQol-5.
Controlling for covariates, PwDs\' self-reported greater unmet needs were significantly associated with PwDs\' and caregivers\' lower self-reported HRQOL (actor effect; b = -0.044, β = -0.226, z = -3.588, p <0.001 and partner effect; b = -0.021, β = -0.131, z = -2.154, p = 0.031). Caregivers\' proxy reports were greater than PwDs\' self-reported unmet needs (Δ=0.66,χ2(1)=55.881,p<.0001).
Clinicians should use caution in relying on caregiver proxy reports of PwDs\' needs and HQOL alone regarding healthcare decision making.