A Comparative Study of Anticipatory Grief in Caregivers of Patients With Alzheimer's Disease and Hematological Malignancy.

Background: Anticipatory grief (AG) is a common experience that affects caregivers of patients with chronic illnesses, particularly Alzheimer's disease. Cognitive disorders leading to social death produce a greater impact on the relationship, and thus on AG, than physical disorders.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence and severity of AG in caregivers of patients with major neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease (MNCD-AD) compared to hematological malignancies and to identify the characteristics associated with AG.

Methods: A total of 132 dyads (patients and their caregivers) completed measures of AG, caregiver burden, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, as well as mental status.

Results: The point prevalence of significant AG was similar in the MNCD-AD (57.6%) and hematological malignancy (51.5%) groups. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of the severity of AG (48.77 ± 17.98 vs 44.18 ± 15.57, respectively). However, the personal sacrifice burden was significantly higher in the MNCD-AD group (P = 0.043). The severity of AG of caregivers is correlated with caregiver burden (r = 0.735), cognitive decline (r = 0.575), and neuropsychiatric symptoms (R = 0.627) of the MNCD-AD patient.

Conclusions: The results of the study highlighted that the disease type can influence the AG of caregivers in a qualitative rather than a quantitative manner. Future studies are recommended to consider effects of psychological or interpersonal factors on AG. In addition, psychiatric comorbidities among family caregivers of MNCD-AD patients should be examined.