Brazilian version of the Burden Interview scale for the assessment of burden of care in carers of people with mental illnesses

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Burden on informal carers of people with mental or physical illnesses has been studied for a long time. Several standardized instruments for the assessment of carer's burden have been developed. The Burden Interview is one of the most frequently used instruments. The aim of the present study is to examine the internal consistency and validity of the Brazilian version of the Burden Interview, designed to examine the burden in carers of individuals with mental illnesses. METHODS: Carers of patients with a diagnosis of depression, aged 60 or over, were assessed for burden (Burden Interview), emotional distress (SRQ-20) and their perception of patients' behavioral and mood disturbances (Behavioral and Mood Disturbance Scale - BMD). Socio-demographic information of patients and carers was collected with a standardized form. The reliability of the Burden Interview was assessed through its internal consistency. Construct validity was assessed through the exam of the associations of carers' burden with their perception of patients' behavioral and mood disturbances, and the carers' burden with carers' distress. RESULTS: Eighty-two carers of elderly patients with depression were included, being forty-eight (58,5%) women. The internal consistency was good, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.87. The associations between total scores of the Burden Interview and total scores of the SRQ-20 (r=0.37, p=0.001), and between total scores of the Burden Interview with total scores of BMD (r=0.54, p=0.001) were strong, and similar to other studies that examined those associations, indicating a good construct validity of the Brazilian version of the Burden Interview. DISCUSSION: The Brazilian version of the Burden Interview is a standardized and valid instrument that can be used in the study of the impact of mental and physical illnesses on informal carers.