Caregiver Burden Inventory Score Research Articles

Effects of simulated presence therapy on agitated behavior, cognition, and use of protective constraint among patients with senile dementia

The research was conducted to investigate the improvement of agitated behaviors, cognitive functions, and negative emotions among patients with senile dementia and the burden of caregivers after simulated presence therapy (SPT) intervention. 85 Patients with senile dementia were included as the research subjects and divided into control group (40 cases performed with routine nursing) and observation group (45 cases undergoing routine nursing combined with SPT) via a random number table method. Cohen-Mansfield agitation inventory (CAMI) and protective constraint were used to assess the improvement of agitated behaviors among patients. Besides, apathy evaluation scale-informant (AES-I), functional independence measure (FIM), self-rating depression scale (SDS), self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), clock drawing test, and caregiver burden inventory (CBI) were adopted to evaluate the differences in apathy, daily living and sociability, depression, anxiety, cognitive functions, and caregiver burden between the two groups. It was demonstrated that CAMI score, the duration of protective constraint use, AES-I score, SDS score, SAS score, and CBI score among patients in observation group all apparently decreased compared with those in control group after the intervention. In contrast, FIM and clock drawing test scores both notably increased (p < 0.05). The above findings suggested that SPT could obviously reduce the incidence of agitated behaviors, improve the level of apathy, daily living and sociability, depression, anxiety, and cognitive functions, and relieve caregiver burden among patients with senile dementia during SPT intervention for patients with senile dementia.

Development and validation of a nutrition-related genetic-clinical-radiological nomogram associated with behavioral and psychological symptoms in Alzheimer's disease.

Few evidence is available in the early prediction models of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study aimed to develop and validate a novel genetic-clinical-radiological nomogram for evaluating BPSD in patients with AD and explore its underlying nutritional mechanism. This retrospective study included 165 patients with AD from the Chinese Imaging, Biomarkers, and Lifestyle (CIBL) cohort between June 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022. Data on demoimagedatas, neuropsychological assessments, single-nucleotide polymorphisms of AD risk genes, and regional brain volumes were collected. A multivariate logistic regression model identified BPSD-associated factors, for subsequently constructing a diagnostic nomogram. This nomogram was internally validated through 1000-bootstrap resampling and externally validated using a time-series split based on the CIBL cohort data between June 1, 2022, and February 1, 2023. Area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to assess the discrimination, calibration, and clinical applicability of the nomogram. Factors independently associated with BPSD were: CETP rs1800775 (odds ratio [OR] = 4.137, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.276-13.415, P = 0.018), decreased Mini Nutritional Assessment score (OR = 0.187, 95% CI: 0.086-0.405, P <0.001), increased caregiver burden inventory score (OR = 8.993, 95% CI: 3.830-21.119, P <0.001), and decreased brain stem volume (OR = 0.006, 95% CI: 0.001-0.191, P = 0.004). These variables were incorporated into the nomogram. The area under the ROC curve was 0.925 (95% CI: 0.884-0.967, P <0.001) in the internal validation and 0.791 (95% CI: 0.686-0.895, P <0.001) in the external validation. The calibration plots showed favorable consistency between the prediction of nomogram and actual observations, and the DCA showed that the model was clinically useful in both validations. A novel nomogram was established and validated based on lipid metabolism-related genes, nutritional status, and brain stem volumes, which may allow patients with AD to benefit from early triage and more intensive monitoring of BPSD. Chictr.org.cn, ChiCTR2100049131.

Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Regional Brain Perfusion Associated with Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease.

Current technology for exploring neuroimaging markers and neural circuits of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is expensive and usually invasive, limiting its use in clinical practice. To investigate the cerebral morphology and perfusion characteristics of NPS and identify the spatiotemporal perfusion circuits of NPS sub-symptoms. This nested case-control study included 102 AD patients with NPS and 51 age- and sex-matched AD patients without NPS. Gray matter volume, cerebral blood flow (CBF), and arterial transit time (ATT) were measured and generated using time-encoded 7-delay pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL). Multiple conditional logistic regression analysis was used to identify neuroimaging markers of NPS. The associations between the CBF or ATT of affected brain areas and NPS sub-symptoms were evaluated after adjusting for confounding factors. The neural circuits of sub-symptoms were identified based on spatiotemporal perfusion sequencing. Lower Mini-Mental State Examination scores (p < 0.001), higher Caregiver Burden Inventory scores (p < 0.001), and higher CBF (p = 0.001) and ATT values (p < 0.003) of the right anteroventral thalamic nucleus (ATN) were risk factors for NPS in patients with AD. Six spatiotemporal perfusion circuits were found from 12 sub-symptoms, including the anterior cingulate gyri-temporal pole/subcortical thalamus-cerebellum circuit, insula-limbic-cortex circuit, subcortical thalamus-temporal pole-cortex circuit, subcortical thalamus-cerebellum circuit, frontal cortex-cerebellum-occipital cortex circuit, and subcortical thalamus-hippocampus-dorsal raphe nucleus circuit. Prolonged ATT and increased CBF of the right ATN may be neuroimaging markers for detecting NPS in patients with AD. Time-encoded pCASL could be a reliable technique to explore the neural perfusional circuits of NPS.

Contributing Factors to the Burden on Primary Family Caregivers of Stroke Survivors in South Korea.

The purpose of this study is to identify the factors associated with the burden on primary family caregivers of stroke patients at home without care services. For this study, the Korean Stroke Cohort for Functioning and Rehabilitation (KOSCO) data were used. Of the total 8010 caregivers, 1133 family caregiver burden was assessed with the shortened Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) 3 months after stroke. Patient and caregiver-related factors affecting the heavier burden of caregivers were identified by comparing the heavier caregiver burden group and the lighter caregiver burden group, which divided according to the CBI scores. The 719 (63.5%) family caregiver cared for patients at home without care services. Logistic regression analysis showed that four or more comorbidities (p = 0.002), neurological impairment at early onset (p < 0.001), dependence on daily life (p < 0.001), aphasia (p = 0.024), and depression(p < 0.001) were associated with a heavier burden of care. According to the shortened CBI, caregivers tended to be concerned more about psychological stress than physical strain. The findings suggest the importance of proactively guiding the emotional support services to caregivers who are at high risk of the heavier burden of patient care.

A cluster analysis to explore the burden of primary caregivers of children with cancer in Oman.

Few studies have sought to evaluate the risk burden of primary caregivers, particularly in Oman. This study aimed to explore whether different risk patterns of caregiver burden exist among the primary caregivers of Omani children with leukemia. A cross-sectional study was conducted between May and November 2020. A total of 101 primary caregivers of children with leukemia were recruited from a public hospital in Oman. The Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) was used to assess caregiver burden. A two-step cluster analysis indicated that the cohort was not homogeneous (silhouette value: 1.41). Caregivers in Cluster 1 (n = 42; 41.6%) were relatively older, less educated, and had a higher caregiving burden (mean CBI score: 37.7 ± 19.9). In contrast, caregivers in Cluster 2 (n = 59; 58.4%) were younger, more highly educated, and had a moderate caregiving burden (mean CBI score: 26.3 ± 13.6). As such, Clusters 1 and 2 were characterized as the "high-risk" and "moderate-risk" burden groups, respectively. This study highlights the need for a policy draft to target and reduce the caregiver burden in Oman, Nursing professionals should seek to develop and implement customized care depending on the caregiver risk burden, including additional financial, psychological, and physical support. They should seek to stratify caregivers by risk burden as some groups may require additional support. However, in light of recent precautionary measures due to the current pandemic situation, such services will have to be provided online or via telephone instead of in person for the foreseeable future.

Resilience among caregivers of patients with heart failure: a convergent mixed methods study

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Private grant(s) and/or Sponsorship. Main funding source(s): HFA Nurse training Fellowship Award Center for Excellence for Culture and Nursing Research (CECRI)Nursing Scholarship OPI Rome Italy Introduction Resilience is a dynamic process of utilising abilities to harness personal, social, and spiritual resources and coping characteristics and developing regulatory flexibility to manage challenges and bounce back from emotional and physical distress. Caregivers of patients with heart failure are prone to increased stress and reduced resilience while assisting their family members in meeting self-care needs, activities of daily living, and complex medical and dietary regimens. To date, limited research exists on resilience and its predictors among caregivers of people with heart failure. Purpose To develop a comprehensive understanding of resilience and its predictors among caregivers of patients with heart failure. Methods A convergent mixed methods design was used. In total, 50 caregivers completed the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CDRS) (score range: 0–100, with higher scores indicating higher resilience), the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) (higher scores indicate greater caregiver burden; there are no cut-off points for classifying burden), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) (two subscales, range score 0 and 21 per each subscale; higher scores mean worse anxiety and depression) and participated in semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Data were analysed using multiple regression, qualitative content analysis, and joint displays. Results The caregivers’ mean age was 62.8 ± 12.83 years. The CDRS mean score was 62.37 ± 24.2, and the mean HADS scores for anxiety and depression were 12.38 ± 2.74 and 8.54 ± 2.49, respectively. The mean CBI score was 16.82 ± 17.12. Regression analysis showed that the resilience score was only predicted by depression (B = -1.491, p = 0.031). Qualitative analysis generated three resilience-inhibiting factors (psychological outlook, physical weariness, and affective state) and two promoting factors (community interconnectedness and self-comforting activities). Mixed analysis confirmed that depression decreased caregivers’ resilience. Conclusions Caregivers of people with heart failure are likely to experience extreme stress and anxiety that affect their resilience to provide better care for their family members. This study identified that depression, hopelessness, pessimism, powerlessness, physical fatigue, and fluctuating emotional states affected negatively caregivers’ resilience. However, self-comforting activities and community interconnectedness improved caregivers’ resilience. Community care organizations and hospitals could establish alliances to develop programs for enhancing caregivers’ resilience.

Caregivers’ burden among parents of children with Cerebral Palsy

Introduction: Caregivers help a person in those actions which cannot be performed by an individual independently; a person’s personal needs, environmental barriers that hinders an individual’s abilities etc. This ultimately puts an increased burden on the caregiver. This study was conducted to determine the levels of caregivers’ burden among the parents of children with cerebral palsy. Material &amp; Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 298 parents of children with cerebral palsy. Non-probability convenience sampling technique was used to collect data from the parents coming to the National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Islamabad. The parents of children with cerebral palsy who were having auditory, cognitive or visual impairment were excluded from this study. Demographic information form and Caregiver Burden Inventory were used for the data collection. The data was analysed through IBM SPSS version 21 and results were presented in the form of frequency, percentages and mean ± sd with p-value wherever needed. Results: the result of this study showed a greater need for respite and other services for caregivers of children with cerebral palsy. The overall Caregiver Burden Inventory score was 45.19 ± 11.9. Out of the total included participants, 163 (54.33%) participants sometimes needed relief, 116 (36.67%) needed frequent need for relief and other services while 19 (6.33%) of the included parents rarely needed relief and other services. Conclusion: Majority of the caregivers of children with cerebral palsy needed relief and other services (compromise the growth, physical and emotional health and social relationship) to manage caregivers’ burden.

Caregiver Burden Among Those Caring for Patients With Spina Bifida

Objective1) To identify baseline characteristics of caregivers of school-aged children with spina bifida; 2) To identify independent predictors of caregiver burden in this population. Materials and MethodsA survey was distributed via Facebook advertising to caregivers of patients with congenital genitourinary anomalies from May to September 2018. Eligible participants (n = 408) entailed English-speaking adults who are involved in the patient's care and attend ≥50% of their medical appointments. Caregiver burden was assessed using the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI), where higher scores indicate higher burden. CBI ≥24 indicates need for respite and CBI ≥36 indicates high risk of burnout. Bivariate analyses (t-tests and chi-square tests) were conducted using STATA software. ResultsOur analysis includes 408 caregivers caring for patients with spina bifida. In our study population, 59.3% of caregivers were in need of respite due to caregiver burden and 26.7% of caregivers were so burdened that they are at risk of burning out (CBI score ≥36). Bivariate analysis showed that caregiver gender and number of tasks performed by the caregiver were significantly associated with risk of burnout (CBI ≥ 36). Multivariable analysis of overall caregiver burden showed increased risk of burnout (CBI ≥ 36) among older caregivers, female caregivers, and those performing more caregiving tasks. ConclusionCaregiver burden is common among caregivers of patients with spina bifida, and further research is needed to identify strategies and resources for mitigating caregiver burden.

Contribution of neuropsychiatric symptoms in Parkinson\u2019s disease to different domains of caregiver burden

IntroductionCaregiver burden is high among caregivers of PD patients (CPD). Neuropsychiatric symptoms are leading contributors to CPD burden, but whether different symptoms differentially impact domains of caregiver burden is not known. Our objective was to examine which neuropsychiatric symptoms and demographic factors contribute to different domains of caregiver burden in PD.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional online survey study. Participants were recruited from the Fox Insight (FI) study and were eligible if they identified themselves as a CPD. The primary outcome was the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) total score and its 5 sub-domain scores. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q) assessed caregiver-reported neuropsychiatric symptoms in the care recipient. Multivariable linear regression models were used to characterize the associations between NPI-Q symptom severity scores and CBI scores. Covariates were caregiver age, sex, education, and caregiving duration.ResultsThe sample consisted of 450 CPD, mean age 65.87 (SD 10.39) years, 74% females. After adjusting for covariates, CBI total score was predicted by NPI-Q total score (β = 1.96, p < 0.001); model adjusted R2 = 39.2%. Anxiety severity had the largest effect size [standardized β (sβ) = 0.224] on the time-dependency domain, which was also associated with female sex (sβ = − 0.133) and age (sβ = 0.088). Severity of disinhibition (sβ = 0.218), agitation (sβ = 0.199), and female sex (sβ = 0.104) were associated with greater emotional burden.ConclusionOur findings indicate that demographic characteristics and specific neuropsychiatric symptoms contribute differentially to domains of caregiver burden. Tailored interventions to support CPD are needed.

The Role of Family Caregiver's Sense of Coherence and Family Adaptation Determinants in Predicting Distress and Caregiver Burden in Families of Cancer Patients.

Background:Most cancer patients' families suffer from maladaptation which increases family distress and caregiving burden. This study was conducted to explore the relationship between these maladaptation indicators, and the sense of coherence (SOC) of family caregivers alongside other family resilience determines among family caregivers of cancer patients.Methods:A total of 104 family caregivers of cancer patients were included in this cross-sectional study. They answered three questionnaires to assess family resilience factors: Family Inventory of Resources for Management (FIRM), Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales (F-COPES), and SOC scale. In addition, family maladaptation factors were determined by two instruments, including Family Distress Index (FDI) and Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI).Results:The results of this study showed that the FIRM and the SOC together were responsible for 35% and 43% of the variances in FDI and CBI scores, respectively (P < 0.001). “Reframing”, the subscale of the F-COPES, significantly predicted the variances of FDI (β = −0.26, P = 0.01) and CBI scores (β = −0.21, P = 0.04). Moreover, “Mastery and health”, the subscale of the FIRM, significantly predicted the variances of FDI (β = −0.38, P < 0.01) and CBI scores (β = −0.21, P = 0.02).Conclusions:Family caregiver's SOC alongside other family resilience determinants plays a significant role in alleviating family distress and caregiver burden. It is suggested that palliative care providers consider family caregivers' SOC in developing a psychological intervention plan to improve family resilience in families of cancer patients.

Psychometric characteristics of the Iranian Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) in caregivers of elderly patients with Alzheimer

BackgroundIt is essential to better understand the caregiving burden and its determinants to support caregivers. The aim of this study was to test the validity and reliability (internal consistency) of the caregiver burden inventory (CBI) in Iranian caregivers of elderly patients with Alzheimer.MethodsA cross sectional study was conducted to translate and validate the CBI in Iran. The structural validity of the scale was evaluated by exploratory factor analysis. The concurrent validity was tested correlating the CBI scores with the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores. The internal consistency reliability was assessed using the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient.ResultsIn total, we enrolled 315 caregivers of elderly patients with Alzheimer disease (79% women, mean age 56.5 ± 13.9). The structural validity of the CBI as assessed by exploratory factor analysis indicated three factors (emotional/psychological, time-dependence and physical burden) that jointly explained 45.21% of the total variance observed. The Pearson correlation coefficient for the relationship between the scores obtained on the Caregiver Burden Inventory and the BAI and the BDI were 0.69 and 0.49 respectively, confirming the concurrent validity. The Cronbach’s alpha for the CBI was 0.91 ranging from 0.78 to 0.92 for its subscales.ConclusionUsed in clinical practice and research, the CBI was verified to be a proper multidimensional instrument for evaluating the burden in caregivers of elderly patients with Alzheimer disease.

Predictors of caregiver burden in patients with neurologic Wilson disease.

ObjectivesCaregiver burden in neurologic Wilson disease (NWD) has received little attention. We investigated predictors of caregiver burden in Chinese NWD patients.MethodsParticipants in this retrospective study were NWD patients admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from 1 August to 31 December 2019. Sociodemographic information was recorded for caregivers and NWD patients. Caregiver burden was evaluated using the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI). Cognitive impairment, functional problems, depression and anxiety were evaluated by professional interviewers. Path analysis was used to evaluate predictors of CBI scores.ResultsSixty NWD patients were enrolled (mean age: 21.35 ± 4.89 years; mean NWD duration: 7.85 ± 3.11 years). The mean CBI score was 52.00 ± 17.16. Care duration had a significant direct effect on CBI score after controlling for confounders (r = 0.493). Cognitive impairment (r = −0.426), functional problems (r = 0.581), depression (r = 0.349) and anxiety (r = 0.317) had significant indirect effects on CBI score.ConclusionCaregivers of NWD patients may experience a medium level of caregiver burden. NWD duration, cognitive impairment, functional problems, depression and anxiety in NWD patients may be useful predictors of caregiver burden.

Does Family Caregiver Burden Differ Between Elderly and Younger Caregivers in Supporting Dying Patients With Cancer? An Italian Study.

The aging of the world's population increasingly calls on older people to care for their cancer relatives. This scenario confronts clinicians involved with end-of-life care with an imposing challenge: elderly family caregivers could have a different perception of the burdens associated with assistance compared to their younger counterparts. Palliativists need to know what limits and resources of these new age categories of caregivers could be for a global management of dying patients with cancer and their family. To evaluate the caregiver burden in family caregivers supporting dying patients with cancer in order to compare the differences between 2 different caregivers age groups (younger vs elderly population). This is a cross-sectional study. A total of 174 family caregivers of hospice patients were interviewed through the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI). The sample group was divided into 2 subgroups aged <65 (younger group) and ≥65 years old (elderly group). Compared with younger caregivers, the elderly group reported significantly higher scores in the CBI-developmental subscale (P = .009) confirmed by the generalized linear model (multivariate) evaluation that included possible predictors in the model. No further differences were found between the 2 age groups in the other CBI scores (time-dependent, physical, social, emotional, and overall score). Elderly caregivers are at high risk for experiencing developmental burden. This finding could prompt mental health professionals to pay greater attention to the value that assistance to the family member can have on their personal story and on that of the family or couple.

Symptoms and Problems in Children with Inherited Metabolic Diseases and Factors Affecting the Caregiver Burden of Mothers

ABSTRACT Parents need to constantly monitor their children with inherited metabolic diseases (IMDs) and have difficulty coordinating care. The aim of this descriptive study was to determine the symptoms and problems in children with IMDs and factors affecting caregiver burden. The study was conducted in a pediatric hospital. The study sample consisted of 47 mothers of children with IMDs. Data were collected using a descriptive characteristics form (DCF), a data collection form related to symptoms and problems (DCFSP), and a caregiver burden inventory (CBI). The most common specific problems were hepatomegaly (36.2%), developmental delay (27.7%), and muscle weakness (14.9%). Mothers’ CBI mean total score was 30.23 ± 19.65. Mothers whose children were partially or completely dependent had significantly higher scores than others. Mothers who expressed the family income status as “an expenses more than income” had higher CBI scores. Understanding the problems of children with IMD and factors effecting caregiver burden of mothers can help health-care professionals to identify patients’ and their families’ needs and facilitate the development of nursing interventions for effective care and reduction of caregiver burden. These results can be used to improve the nursing care of children with IMDs and their families.

Family caregivers' burden and its influencing factors in elderly patients with hip fracture and cognitive impairment

Objective To investigate the burden level and influencing factors among the family caregivers of elderly hip fracture patients with cognitive impairment, and to provide a theoretical basis for the intervention study on reducing the burden of family caregivers. Methods This study was a cross-sectional survey. A total of 130 elderly hip fracture patients with cognitive impairment who were admitted to a ClassⅢ Grade A hospital in Shanghai from January to November 2018 as well as their family caregivers (n=130) were selected by convenient sampling. Patient and Caregiver General Information Questionnaire, Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA) , Barthel Index Assessment Scale (BI) , Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) , Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Questionnaire (NPI-Q) , Simple Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ) , Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) were used in the investigation. Single factor analysis and multiple stepwise regression analysis were used to analyze the influencing factors of caregiver burden. A total of 130 questionnaires were sent out and 121 valid questionnaires were collected, yielding an effective recovery rate of 93.08%. Results The CBI score of family caregivers of elderly hip fracture patients with cognitive impairment was (38.58±16.46) , and the overall level of caregivers was medium. Univariate analysis showed that there were statistically significant differences in the burden level among caregivers of patients in terms of the following 7 factors: different level of cognitive impairment, self-care ability, caregiver's past history, whether living with patients, whether multiple caregivers or not, daily care time and total care time (P<0.05) . Multivariate stepwise regression analysis showed that self-care ability and cognitive impairment, caregiver's NPI-Q pain degree, negative coping style and daily care time were the main influencing factors of family caregiver burden in elderly hip fracture patients with cognitive impairment (R2=0.564, F=29.726, P<0.01) . Conclusions Care burden exists in family caregivers of elderly hip fracture patients with cognitive impairment. Medical workers should provide individual professional support and humanistic care to the caregivers according to the specific conditions of the patients' families, so as to improve the overall burden level of family caregivers. At the same time, it calls on the government, medical institutions and other relevant support policies to improve the care ability of caregivers, shorten their daily care time, reduce their burden, and promote their physical and mental health. Key words: Aged; Hip fracture; Cognition disorders; Caregivers; Burden; Infuencing factors

Investigation on the Status and Determinants of Caregiver Burden on Caring for Patients with Chronic Wound.

Objective: To investigate the caring burden and its determinants of primary informal caregiver of patients with chronic wound. Approach: A prospective cross-sectional study of 132 pairs of chronic wound care recipients and their informal caregivers was included. The characteristics of patients and their informal caregivers as well as caregiver burden assessment by the caregiver burden inventory (CBI) were measured. Single factor analysis and multiple regression analysis were carried out to explore the independent determinants of caregiver burden on caring for patients with chronic wound. Results: Most of the caregivers were female with mean age of 54.57 ± 13.35 years, and 58.3% of the caregivers were adult children. The mean CBI score was 34.21 ± 9.69 at a medium level. The following variables increased the CBI scores of caregivers: long caring time per day for patients, powerlessness status of patients, insufficient self-efficacy, and social support of caregivers, the model was able to explain 67.5% of variance in caregiver burden (F = 47.167, p = 0.000, R 2 = 0.675, adjusted R 2 = 0.660). Innovation: Caring burden of patients with chronic wound as a key consideration of patient-centered wound care has received relatively little attention. In this study we report the status of caring burden and reveal its determinants of primary informal caregiver of patients with chronic wound. Conclusion: Wound professionals are suggested to pay attention to the caregiver burden of patients with chronic wound and develop family-centered intervention support service system according to the determinants of caregiver burden to alleviate the caregiver burden.

Caregiver Burden and Sleep Quality in Dependent People's Family Caregivers.

This study examined the relationship between caregiver burden and sleep quality in dependent people’s family caregivers. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 201 dependent people’s family caregivers and 92 non-caregivers controls. Participants completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI), and an ad-hoc questionnaire to collect sociodemographic data. Based on CBI scores, subjects were categorized into three groups: family caregivers with high levels of perceived burden, family caregivers with low and medium levels of perceived burden and non-caregiver controls. There were significant differences among the groups in the PSQI total (F = 40.39; p < 0.001), subjective sleep quality (F = 25.55; p < 0.001), sleep latency (F = 16.99; p < 0.001), sleep disturbances (F = 14.90; p < 0.001), use of sleep medications (F = 6.94; p < 0.01) and daytime dysfunction (F = 20.12; p < 0.001). These differences were found only between the caregivers with high levels of perceived burden and the other two groups (p < 0.05). There were also significant differences between the groups in sleep duration (F = 18.34; p < 0.001) and habitual sleep efficiency (F = 24.24; p < 0.001). In these dependent measures, the differences were found in all the pairs examined (p < 0.05). These results suggest that caregiver burden is related to sleep quality, so that caregivers with greater perceived burden have a worse sleep quality.

Validating the Parkinson's disease caregiver burden questionnaire (PDCB) in German caregivers of advanced Parkinson's disease patients.

Advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) may place a high burden on patients and their caregivers. Understanding the determinants of caregiver burden is of critical importance. This understanding requires the availability of adequate assessment tools. Recently, the Parkinson's disease caregiver burden questionnaire (PDCB) has been developed as a PD-specific measure of caregiver burden. However, the PDCB has only been evaluated in a sample of Australian caregivers of patients at a less advanced stage of the disease. We tested whether a German translation of the PDCB qualifies as an adequate measure of caregiver burden in a German sample of caregivers of advanced patients with PD. We collected PDCB data from 65 caregivers of advanced patients with PD. Reliability of the scale was assessed and compared against the original version. To validate the German version of the PDCB, we examined the correlations with the caregiver burden inventory (CBI), the short form 36 health survey (SF-36), the Parkinson's disease quality of life questionnaire 39 (PDQ-39), disease duration, and the amount of caregiving time. The total PDCB score proved to be reliable and to be significantly related to CBI and SF-36 scores. PDCB scores also increased with increasing amounts of caregiving time. The German version of the PDCB appears to be an adequate measure of caregiver burden in caregivers of advanced PD patients.

Impact of Nutritional Status on Caregiver Burden of Elderly Outpatients. A Cross-Sectional Study.

The assistance to older community-dwellers provided by family caregivers is crucial for the maintenance of an acceptable quality of life, especially when dementia is present. The caregiver burden may be extremely high, but few data are available on what patient domains mainly affect the caregiver. The aim of this cross-sectional study, performed in older outpatients, was to examine the impact of cognitive, physical and nutritional status of elderly community-dwellers on the caregiver burden, as evaluated by the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI). A group of 406 elderly outpatients (161 M, 245 F, mean age of 83.20 ± 6.40) was enrolled. A significant correlation was observed between Mini Nutritional Assessment Instrument-Short Form (MNA-SF) and CBI (r = −0.34; p < 0.001), suggesting that a poor nutritional status is significantly associated with the caregiver burden. There was also a significant correlation between CBI and Short Physical Performance Battery score (r = −0.29; p < 0.001), hand grip strength (r = −0.25; p < 0.001), Mini-Mental State Examination score (r = −0.39; p < 0.001), Geriatric Depression Scale (r = 0.23; p < 0.001), Body Mass Index (BMI) (r = 0.01; p = 0.03), Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (ADL/IADL) (r = −0.61 and −0.62, respectively; p < 0.001), and with the 4-m walking speed (r = −0.42; p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, only the relationships of the CBI (in particular the physical subcomponent) with ADL, IADL and MNA-SF remained statistically significant (β ± SE −0.89 ± 0.20, p < 0.001; −0.58 ± 0.15, p < 0.001 and −0.25 ± 0.11, p = 0.02, respectively). The relationship between CBI and BMI remained statistically significant only for the physical subcomponent (β ± SE 0.14 ± 0.05; p = 0.006). Thus, in this study, we confirmed that the impairment in the activities of daily living is associated with a significant impact on the caregiver burden, and we found also that a poor nutritional status of the older outpatient is independently more associated with the caregiver burden than cognitive and physical disability. The combined evaluation of both patients and caregivers can improve the knowledge and assistance to the elderly subjects.

Exploring the associations between spiritual well-being, burden, and quality of life in family caregivers of cancer patients.

The spiritual dimension is important in the process of coping with stress and may be of special relevance for those caring for cancer patients in the various phases of caregivership, although current attention is most prevalent at the end of life. This study explores the associations among spiritual well-being (SWB), caregiver burden, and quality of life (QoL) in family caregivers of patients with cancer during the course of the disease. This is a cross-sectional study. All participants (n = 199) underwent the following self-report questionnaires: the SWB-Index, the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form, and the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI). SWB scores were dichotomized at a cutoff corresponding to the 75th percentile. Statistical analyses were made using the Student t or by chi-square test to compare high and low SWB groups.ResultThe high SWB group reported significantly better Medical Outcomes Study Short Form scores in bodily pain (p = 0.035), vitality (p &lt; 0.001), social activities (p = 0.001), mental health (p &lt; 0.001), and in standardized mental component subscales (p &lt; 0.001) than the low SWB group. No significant differences were detected between the two SWB groups in physical activity, physical role, general health, emotional status, and standardized physical component scale. The high SWB group also had better CBI scores in the physical (p = 0.049) and developmental burden (p = 0.053) subscales. There were no significant differences in the other CBI scores (overall and sections).Significance of resultsThis study points out that high SWB caregivers have a more positive QoL and burden. Knowledge of these associations calls for more attention on the part of healthcare professionals toward spiritual resources among family cancer caregivers from the moment of diagnosis and across the entire cancer trajectory.