Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the memory and behavior-related problems of patients with neurocognitive disorders and the attitudes of their caregivers so as to provide an effective basis for nursing interventions against such problems.

Methods The subjects were selected from patients who were under treatment or short-term hospitalization between April 2011 and March 2012. One hundred fifty-three patients with neurocognitive disorders and their major caregivers were selected from 9 Grade 3 Class A hospitals of Hunan Province. The Revised Memory and Behavior Problems Checklist (RMBPC) was used to measure the memory and behavior-related problems of patients with neurocognitive disorders and the influence on their caregivers. The occurrence of different memory and behavior-related problems and the distress on their caregivers was compared.

Results The RMBPC investigation showed that among 153 patients and their caregivers, 152 (99.3%) had memory-related problems, 137 (89.5%) had depression, and 136 patients (88.9%) had destructive behaviors. The incidence of memory-related problems was higher than depression and destructive behaviors (P<0.01). Caregivers bore more distress when encountering destructive behaviors (1.95±1.13 points) than memory-related problems and depression (0.91±0.76 points and 0.89±0.85 points; P<0.01). Curve fitting was used to analyze the relationship between the number of memory and behavior-related problems and the distress on their caregivers. A curve correlation existed between the two factors (the recorded maximum value of the Cubic equation curve was 0.278, F=229.212, P<0.05).

Conclusion Among patients with neurocognitive disorders, memory-related problems had the highest incidence, while the caregivers bore the strongest distress when encountering destructive behaviors, thus interventions should be conducted in consideration of patient memory and behavior-related problems, and caregivers’ attitude to further reduce caregiver burden.