Mean Zarit Burden Interview Score Research Articles

COVID-19-related anxiety and obsession levels in stroke patients and family caregivers and their effects on caregiver burden.

The aim of this study is to describe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related dysfunctional anxiety and thinking in patients with stroke and caregivers who are family members and their effects on caregiver burden. This cross-sectional study included 79 stroke patients and their primary caregivers who were hospitalised in atertiary rehabilitation hospital. Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) and Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (OCS) were used to assess the levels of COVID-19-related dysfunctional anxiety and obsession of the patients and their caregivers. Caregiver burden was assessed via the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). In the patients with stroke, COVID-19-related anxiety and COVID-19-related obsession rates were 13.9% (n = 11) and 7.6% (n = 6), respectively, while 17.7% (n = 14) of caregiver family members had COVID-19-related anxiety and 11.4% (n = 9) had COVID-19-related obsession. The CAS score of caregivers showed asignificant positive correlation with the CAS and OCS scores of patients (p = 0.000, r = 0.423; p = 0.007, r = 0.300, respectively). The OCS score of caregivers showed asignificant positive correlation with the OCS scores of the patients (p = 0.000, r = 0.476). The mean ZBI score of caregiver family members was 31.9 ± 13.5. A significant positive correlation was observed between the caregiver's OCS and CAS scores and ZBI scores (p = 0.002, r = -0.349; p = 0.004, r = 0.323, respectively). In this study, a significant relationship between caregiver burden and COVID-19-related anxiety and obsession in the caregivers of stroke patients was identified. Therefore, caregivers of stroke patients should not be forgotten during pandemics and should receive physical and psychological support.

Caregiving burden and associated factors among family caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study.

Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder affecting millions worldwide. Family caregivers play a vital role in patient treatment and recovery, but their responsibilities can be physically and emotionally exhausting. There is limited research on caregiver burden in Bangladesh, prompting this study to identify factors associated with the burden among caregivers of schizophrenic patients. This cross-sectional study collected data from 175 caregivers from January to December 2020 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A semi-structured questionnaire and a validated Bangla version of the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) scale were used to assess the burden of primary caregivers and associated factors in caring for patients with schizophrenia. Participants' mean age was 34.02 ± 10.45 years, with 26.9% in the 34-41 age group. 49.1% were housewives, with most earning 5000 to 15000 taka monthly. Spouses accounted for 28.6% of caregivers. Most patients had an illness duration of less than five years (66.3%). Mean ZBI score was 49.49 ± 12.06, indicating moderate to severe burden. Factors significantly associated with caregiver burden included age, gender, occupation, income, marital status, house condition, relationship with patients, illness stage, and duration. This study highlights the burden experienced by caregivers of schizophrenic patients in Bangladesh and identifies factors associated with the burden. It recommends community interventions and psychosocial provisions to address this issue and inform targeted interventions to reduce caregiver burden. These findings provide insights for a comprehensive plan to manage such cases in the future.

Level of caregiving burden and affecting factors in family caregivers of patients with lung cancer: A cross-sectional study.

To determine the caregiving burden level and affecting factors of family members caring for patients with lung cancer (LC). This study used a cross-sectional design and a convenience sampling method. The study was conducted between April 2023 and August 2023 with the LC patients (n = 448) and their caregivers (n = 448) who met the inclusion criteria and were followed up in seven clinics of a specialized hospital for pulmonary diseases in Turkey. Data were collected by using (1) a demographic questionnaire (for patient and caregiver), (2) the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), (3) the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and (4) the Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer (CQoLC). The study included 448 caregivers, with a mean age of 45.09 ± 13.48years, and 71.4% were female. The mean ZBI score of 31.45 ± 16.71 indicated mild to moderate burden. Pearson correlation analysis showed that caregivers' depression levels increased and quality of life decreased significantly as the care burden increased. Multiple regression analysis indicated a significant relationship between the caregiver burden and the patient's age (p < 0.05), caregiver's chronic disease (p < 0.05), type of treatment given to the patient (p < 0.05), patient's metastasis status (p < 0.05) and caregiver's quality of life (p < 0.01). The fact that most of the risk factors identified in this study are non-modifiable highlights the necessity of identifying caregiver burden early by nurses and initiating the appropriate support processes.

Caregiver Burden in Substance Use Disorders Patients

Background: Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) impose significant challenges not only on individuals grappling with addiction but also on the caregivers who provide support and care. The caregiving role is associated with multifaceted burdens that require understanding and targeted interventions. Recognizing the diverse dimensions of caregiver burden is crucial for offering effective support. Objective: The study aimed to find out the caregiver burden in substance use disorder patients, examining severity and socio-demographic correlations, contributing insights into effective support strategies. Methodology: The cross-sectional observational study took place at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College's Psychiatry Department and a private psychiatric and drug rehabilitation center in Sylhet from September 1, 2018, to August 31, 2020. The research focused on substance use disorder patients and their caregivers, involving 50 eligible patients selected through inclusion and exclusions criteria. Diagnoses followed DSM IV criteria. Socio-demographics were gathered via semi-structured questionnaires. Caregiver burden was assessed using the Bengali Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) scale through approximately hour-long interviews, with 1-2 daily. Ethical procedures encompassed informed consent and confidentiality assurance. Result: The study included 50 male participants. Patients mean age was 31.92 (±8.21) and caregivers mean age was 41.68 (±12.89). Mainly, caregivers were mothers (40%) and wives (34%). Caregivers experiencing moderate to severe burden were 58%, mild to moderate burden were 26%, and severe burden were 16%. Mean ZBI score was 48.22±13.55. Higher burden correlated with illiteracy, low family income, excessive drug spending, prolonged substance use, and multiple drug usage. Alcohol users faced more burden than other substance users. Female caregivers, younger age, and housewives experienced heightened burden. No burden links were found with marital status, habitat, religion, family type, or drug administration method. Conclusion: This study concluded that Substance use heightens caregiver burden, notably among female, young, and housewife caregivers. Addressing these trends is vital for effective care of substance use

Burden in caregivers of primary care patients with dementia: influence of neuropsychiatric symptoms according to disease stage (NeDEM project)

BackgroundCaregiver burden is related to personal factors and patient characteristics and is greater when neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) are present. Objective: Estimate the prevalence of burden among caregivers of dementia patients and its association with NPSs and identify NPSs causing greater caregiver distress according to dementia stage.MethodsA cross-sectional observational study in caregivers of noninstitutionalized dementia patients was conducted. Caregiver variables were sociodemographic, time of care, NPS-associated distress based on the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Caregiver Distress Scale (NPI-D) and burden based on the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). Patient variables were time since disease onset, Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) disease stage, functional assessment and NPS presence and intensity according to the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). The mean ZBI score, prevalence of burden and NPI-D score with 95% CIs at each dementia stage were estimated. Factors associated with burden were identified by multivariate analysis.ResultsOf the 125 caregivers included, 77.6% were women, with a mean age of 60.7 (± 14.3) years; 78.4% (95%CI: 71.0; 86.0) experienced burden. The mean ZBI score was 12.3 (95%CI: 11.6; 12.9) and increased according to NPS number (p = 0.042). The NPSs causing the most burden were disinhibition (93.5%), irritability (87.3%) and agitation (86.1%). Agitation, apathy, and sleep disorders were the NPSs generating the greatest overall caregiver distress; depression (max NPI-D 1.9), hyperactivity (max NPI-D 2.1), and psychosis symptoms (max NPI-D 1.6) generated the greatest distress at stage GDS 3, stages GDS 4–5, and stages GDS 6–7, respectively. The NPI score (OR = 1.0, 95%CI 1.0; 1.1), intensity of irritability (OR = 1.2, 95%CI 1.0; 1.6), disinhibition (OR = 2.6, 95%CI 1.1; 5.8) and hyperactivity subsyndrome (OR = 1.1, 95%CI 1.0; 1.2) were associated with caregiver burden. Other associated factors were female gender (OR = 6.0, 95%CI 1.6; 22.8), ≥ 8 h daily care (OR = 5.6, 95%CI 1.4; 22.8), working outside the home (OR = 7.6, 95%CI 1.8; 31.8), living with the patient (OR = 4.5, 95%CI 1.1; 19.6), kinship (OR = 5.4, 95%CI 1.0; 28.2) and lower patient education (OR = 8.3, 95%CI 2.3; 30.3).ConclusionsThe burden on caregivers of dementia patients is high and associated with NPS presence and intensity. Disinhibition and irritability caused the highest burden. Depression, hyperactivity and psychosis produce more distress in mild, mild-moderate and severe dementia, respectively.

Urinary Incontinence in Older Adults: Impact on Caregiver Burden

The objective of the current descriptive, cross-sectional, and relationship-seeking study was to evaluate the severity of urinary incontinence (UI) in older adults and its impact on care burden of their family caregivers. This study was performed prospectively with 80 older adults (aged ≥65 years) with UI and their family caregivers who attended a urology clinic between June and December 2021. UI was assessed using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF), and caregiver burden using the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). Increase in care time was associated with higher burden of care (p = 0.018). Post-hoc analyses suggested that caregivers' burden of care gradually increased up to the first 9 months. Daily care time >9 hours had a higher burden compared to care times <9 hours (p < 0.001). Mean ZBI score of caregivers was 41.47 (SD = 10.18) and mean ICIQ-UI-SF score of older adults was 15.02 (SD = 3.9). A significant correlation was observed between increased ICIQ-UI-SF scores of older adults and ZBI scores of caregivers (r = 0.354, p = 0.001). Caring for older adults with UI is associated with a significant burden of care and an increase in severity of UI is associated with increased burden of care. Female sex, lower educational level, presence of comorbidities, increased care time, and daily care hours were factors associated with increased burden of care among caregivers. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 49(4), 39-46.].

Engelli Bakımevlerinde Covid-19 Salgınının Bakım Veren Yükü Üzerine Etkilerinin İncelenmesi

It is very well documented that the number of patients residing in nursing homes has increased in recent years due to disabilities related with mental diseases. There is mounting evidence of the enormous burden placed on caregivers who care for people suffering from mental illness. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, the working conditions of personnel caring for mentally ill patients in nursing homes have deteriorated. Shifts with 14-day intervals and quarantine have been implemented in order to minimize the risk of transmission. We designed this study to ascertain the impact of the pandemic and the associated regulations, as well as the issues encountered in the routine work system, on the mental health of personnel. We used sociodemographic data form to determine the personnel's sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) to determine anxiety levels associated with Covid-19, the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) to determine caregiver burden, and the Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) to determine depressive symptoms. The participants' mean CAS score was found to be 2.72±2.91, their mean ZBI score was 41.6±10.6, and their mean MADRS score was 11.55±7.70. Nurses had significantly higher MADRS and ZBI scores than caregivers. There was a positive and significant correlation between ZBI scores, and CAS and MADRS scores (p&amp;lt;0.05). By using multiple regression analysis, it was determined that MADRS scores and the wage received was sufficient or insufficient to predict ZBI scores. The outcomes of our study indicated that the depressive symptom levels of nursing home personnel were higher than the anxiety levels related to the pandemic, and contributed to the increase in caregiver burden. Screening personnel for depression symptoms and providing required psychological support appears to be critical for enhancing service quality.

Assessment of the Burden of Care and Burnout Level in Caregivers of Dementia Patients in a Home Care Setting

Aim: This study aims to evaluate the factors affecting the care burden and burnout levels of caregivers with dementia patients receiving home care services. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in Samsun Training and Research Hospital Home Care Services which paid a visit at home between March 20 and June 20, 2021. The caregivers of the patients who were followed up by the diagnosis of dementia were included in the study after having agreed to participate in the study with their written informed consents. The 'Socio-demographic Data Form', 'Zarit Burden Interview' and 'Maslach Burnout Inventory’ were administered to caregivers during face-to-face interviews. Results: A total of 157 caregivers were included in our study, of which 70.1% (n=110) were women. 68.2% (n=107) were in the 40-64 years age group. The mean Zarit Burden Interview score was calculated as 47.10±16.14 (min=21, max=85). 76.4% of caregivers had moderate to severe escalated care burden. Once the impact of the increase in caregiver burden score on Maslach Burnout Inventory subgroups was examined, the relationship was found to be positively significant with emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, and negatively significant with personal achievement. Conclusion: As the burden of care increases, the level of burnout of individuals increases. Female gender, illiteracy, lack of income, duration of care given which is prolonged for more than one year, and daily care duration exceeding 12 hours were determined as outstanding factors that increase the care burden and level of burnout. Keywords: home care services, caregivers, dementia, caregiver burnout

Comparison of care burden of hemodialysis and kidney transplant patients

Introduction: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is an important health problem in which chronic, inflammatory, degenerative and irreversible. Objectives: The research was conducted to compare burden of caregivers of hemodialysis (HD) and kidney transplantation (KT) patients. Patients and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted with HD, KT patients and their primary caregivers in a university hospital between July 2019 and June 2020. Power analysis was used to determine the sample size of the study, and a total of 71 HD and 71 KT patients and their caregivers (n=142) were included in the study sample at a confidence interval of 85%. The Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) scale was used in data collection. The data were analysed by using the SPSS version 22.0 software. Results: As a result of the study, it was determined that the mean caregiver burden score (30.59±13.25) of the caregivers of HD patients was higher than the mean caregiver burden score (22.20±13.95) of the KT patients, and the difference was statistically significant. The difference between socio-demographic characteristics of the caregivers of HD patients and the mean ZBI score was not statistically significant. A statistically significant difference was detected between the age and marital status and the mean ZBI scale scores of the caregivers of patients who underwent KT. Conclusion: As a result of the study, it was found that the care burden of HD patients was higher than the care burden of KT patients. In order to provide holistic care, healthcare professionals need to address the care burden of HD patients.

The Relationship between Posttraumatic-Growth and Care Burden in Caregivers of Schizophrenia

vWe assessed the relationship between the posttraumatic growth of caregivers of patients with schizophrenia and their care burden. The sample was determined using a “sample calculation formula from groups with a definite universe,” and the study included 146 caregivers. Sociodemographic Data Form, Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), and Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) were used in the research. The mean PTGI score of the caregivers was 65.23 ± 16.90, while the mean ZBI score was 52.68 ± 13.72. It can be stated that the caregivers of patients with schizophrenia have a moderate care burden, but their posttraumatic growth is above a moderate level. As the posttraumatic growth of caregivers increases, the values of mental stress and disruption of private life, mental strain and restriction, and deterioration in social relations decrease.

Caregiving burden of family caregivers of substance-addicted people in Turkey.

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the caregiving burden (CB) and the determinants of burden among family members of substance-addicted people. The sample of this cross-sectional research was 128 informal family caregivers of substance-addicted people. We collected data by using the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) assessing subjective burden. Mean ZBI score was 52.2. The regression analysis showed that ZBI mean score was higher in female caregivers and caregivers with lower education, poor economic status, and longer caregiving duration. There was an inverse relationship between the addict's age and the CB. The predictors of CB may assist in setting caregivers at greater risk of CB as targets for the intervention.

Caregiver burden and associated factors amongst carers of women with advanced breast cancer attending a radiation oncology clinic in Nigeria

BackgroundThe responsibility of caring for patients with advanced cancer in sub-Saharan Africa is mostly shouldered by family members because of paucity of institutional facilities. There is a growing concern that the number of women needing treatment for advanced breast cancer is rising at an unprecedented rate in Nigeria.AimTo assess the caregiver burden and its associated factors amongst family caregivers of women with advanced breast cancer.SettingThe study was conducted at the radiation oncology clinic of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.MethodsA cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted amongst 157 eligible family caregivers of women with advanced breast cancer. The family caregivers completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire, which included the socio-demographic data, the caregiving process and the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). Logistic regression was used to identify factors, and ethical approval was obtained.ResultsOver half (53%) of the respondents were males with spousal caregivers dominantly constituting 27.4% of all respondents, closely followed by daughters (25.5%) of the care recipients. The mean ZBI score was 29.84 ± 13.9. Most (72%) of the caregivers experienced burden. Factors associated with caregiver burden were previous hospitalisation of the care recipient (odds ratio [OR] = 3.74, confidence interval [CI]: 1.67 to 8.38) and perceived dysfunction in patients activities of daily living (OR = 2.57, CI: 1.14 to 5.78).ConclusionFamily caregivers of women with advanced breast cancer experience burden of care. Recognition of this vulnerable population and the care recipient as a dyad is a sine qua non in mitigating the burden associated with their caregiving role.

Psychological Burden amongst Caregivers of Patients on Maintenance Haemodialysis.

Long-term caregiving is a difficult job, risking mental health of involved individuals. This study was planned to document magnitude of the problem at Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, with an aim to improve quality of life in caregivers and patients alike. From January to June 2019, caregivers accompanying haemodialysis patients were selected using consecutive sampling technique. Those unwilling were excluded. Psychological burden was assessed using Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) questionnaire. There were 98 caregivers, including 71 (72.45%) males and 27 (27.55%) females, aged 33.13 ± 9.98 years. There was little/ no burden in 27 (27.55%) caregivers; 52 (53.06%) had mild to moderate, 18 (18.37%) had moderate to severe and 3 (3.06%) had severe psychological burden. Mean ZBI score was 30.00 ± 12.57. Males had lower scores than females (28.01 ± 11.18 vs. 35.22 ± 14.65, respectively; p= 0.026). Gender of caregivers significantly predicted ZBI scores; while their age, job status, education, monthly income and duration of caregiving did not. Key Words: Caregivers, Chronic kidney disease, Haemodialysis, Long-term care, Psychological burden.

Empathy and perceived burden in caregivers of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders

BackgroundCaregivers of patients load different kinds of burdens, including emotional distress. Aims of this study were to evaluate both burden and empathy of caregivers who assist patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.MethodsWe selected a sample of 60 caregivers (34 women and 26 men), who assisted patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders treated in our local Community Mental Health Center for a 1-year minimum period. We administered two scales to our sample, Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) and Balanced Emotional Empathy Scale (BEES), and collected data of caregivers and their assisted patients in a 3-month period. Data were statistically analyzed.ResultsWe reported a mean ZBI score of 49.68 (±15.03 SD) and a mean BEES score of 14.35 (±9.05 SD), indicating the perception of moderate-severe burden and low level of empathy, respectively. The analysis of internal consistency confirmed the good reliability of both ZBI (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.90) and BEES (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.77). The correlation between the two scales was not statistically significant at Spearman test. At our multiple linear regression, many variables of both caregiver and patient showed a significant correlation with the ZBI score. In particular, not living with the assisted patient and female gender of caregiver potentially decreased the burden, whereas clinical severity of assisted patient and two caregiver conditions, middle school education and spouse relationship with patient, could worsen the burden. We highlighted two positive statistically significant correlations between the total score of BEES and caregiver characteristics: being spouse and not living with assisted patient.ConclusionsOur study highlights that the caregiver burden of patients with severe psychiatric disorders is high and is associated with low emotional empathy experienced by caregivers, probably due to a defensive psychological mechanism. The conditions of spouse and cohabitation can concomitantly increase both empathy and burden in caregivers.

Caregiving burden, depression, and anxiety in family caregivers of patients with cancer.

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine the caregiving burden, depression and anxiety of family caregivers of Turkish patients with cancer and the affecting factors. This cross-sectional study was conducted between January-May 2018 with one hundred and fifty-eight caregivers and one hundred and fifty-eight patients with cancer who were treated at a university hospital in Edirne, Turkey. Data were collected with a questionnaire form, Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) Scale and the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS). This study found that 51.3% of the patients with cancer were male, 70.3% of the caregivers were female and more than half of them (57.0%) were the spouses of the patients. The mean ZBI score of the caregivers was 24.62±14.19. There was a positive relationship between the ZBI scores and HADS scores of family caregivers (p<0.05). As the caregiving burden of caregivers increased, their anxiety and depression levels were increased too. It was found that as the caregiving duration of family caregivers increased, the caregiving burden increased, and caregivers' anxiety depression scores got worse (p<0.05). In the multivariate analysis, the duration of caregiving per day/hours, ECOG score and the age of the caregiver independently affected the caregiving burden (p<0.05). As the functional status of the patient with cancer got worse, caregiving burden increased. Caregiving burden was found to be higher in those who were younger, female and giving care for longer times per day (p<0.05). This study found that as the caregiving burden and caregivers' daily patient care duration increased, the level of anxiety and depression increased too. Caregivers of patients with cancer should take appropriate psychological intervention to decrease their distress. In addition, we thought that healthcare professionals must consider the factors affecting the caregiving burden which affect the patient care directly.

A meta-analysis of the association between caregiver burden and the dependent’s illness

ABSTRACTThe caregiver burden is frequently used to refer to the physical and psychological problems that may arise from caring for a dependent relative. We conducted a meta-analysis to see whether Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) scores differed by dependent’s pathology. Results from 125 studies showed that caregivers of individuals with a physical disability have an estimated mean ZBI score (±SE) of 27 ± 2.6 – a score significantly lower than for caregivers of persons with dementia or cognitive impairment (34.1 ± 1.1), mental illness (32.6 ± 1.7), or Alzheimer’s (32.5 ± 1). Our analysis of Alzheimer’s revealed differences among cases of mildly (25.8 ± 5.2), moderately (35.6 ± 7.8), and severely (42.6 ± 7.9) afflicted dependents.

Time to move? Factors associated with burden of care among informal caregivers of cognitively impaired older people facing housing decisions: secondary analysis of a cluster randomized trial

BackgroundMaking health-related decisions about loved ones with cognitive impairment may contribute to caregiver burden of care. We sought to explore factors associated with burden of care among informal caregivers who had made housing decisions on behalf of a cognitively impaired older person.MethodsWe conducted a secondary analysis within a cluster randomized trial (cRT) conducted in 16 publicly-funded home care service points across the Province of Quebec. The cRT assessed the impact of training home care teams in interprofessional shared decision making (IP-SDM). We assessed burden of care with the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) scale. We adapted Pallett’s framework to inform our data analysis. This framework posits that factors influencing burden of care among caregivers fall within four domains: (a) characteristics of the caregiver, (b) characteristics of the cognitively impaired older person, (c) characteristics of the relationship between the caregiver and the cognitively impaired older person, and (d) the caregiver’s perception of their social support resources. We computed the ZBI score and performed multilevel linear regression modelling.ResultsAmong 296 caregivers included in the dataset, the mean ZBI score was 29.8 (SD = 17.5) out of 88. The typical participant was 62.6 years old (SD = 11.7), female (74.7%), and caring for a mother or father (61.2%). Using multivariate analysis, factors significantly associated with caregiver burden mapped onto: caregiver characteristics (caregivers with higher burden were female, experienced higher decision regret and decisional conflict, preferred that their loved one move into the caregiver’s home, into a private nursing home or a mixed private-public nursing home, and had made the decision more recently); relationship characteristics (spouses and children experienced higher burden); and caregiver’s perception of social support resources (caregivers who perceived that a joint decision making process had occurred had higher burden).ConclusionIn line with the proposed framework used, we found that caregiver characteristics, relationship characteristics and caregiver’s perception of social support resources were associated with burden of care. Our results will help design interventions to prevent and/or reduce caregivers’ burden of care.Trial registrationNCT02244359. Date of registration: September 18, 2014.

The humanistic burden of advanced non-small cell lung cancer: What are the key drivers of caregiver burden?

149 Background: Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (aNSCLC) impacts the lives of patients and their caregivers. This analysis aimed to provide insight into the clinical, patient and caregiver factors associated with increased caregiver burden. Methods: Data from a cross-sectional study of aNSCLC patients and informal (unpaid) caregivers in France, Germany and Italy, were collected from May 2015 to June 2016, consisting of a chart review and patient and caregiver surveys. Caregiver burden was assessed using the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), measured on a 0-88 scale. An ordinary least square regression model was constructed to assess clinical, patient and caregiver factors associated with ZBI. Measured at time of survey completion, covariates included: country, patient age, sex, body mass index, stage of NSCLC, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG-PS), disease duration, smoking status, presence of brain metastases, histology, comorbidities, chemotherapy treatment, caregiver age and sex, and the number of formal (paid) and informal caregiver hours provided per week by additional caregivers. A significance level of 0.05 was used. Results: 331 caregivers were analysed. Mean (SD) caregiver age was 53.8 years (12.4), 239 (72.2%) were female. Caregivers provided a mean (SD) of 17.8 (23.4) hours of care per week. Mean (SD) formal / informal caregiver hours provided by other caregivers was 3.9 (13.3) / 3.9 (12.0). Many caregivers did not receive support from additional formal (75.5%) or informal (68.6%) caregivers. Mean (SD) ZBI score was 31.3 (14.8). Significant independent predictors of ZBI were patient’s ECOG-PS and number of additional informal caregiver hours provided. ZBI scores for caregivers of patients with an ECOG-PS of 3-4 were 7.68 units higher compared to those with an ECOG-PS of 0-2 (p = 0.006). Also, ZBI scores increased by 0.16 units per hour of informal caregiver provided by additional caregivers (p = 0.008). Conclusions: The key drivers of caregiver burden found in the study reinforce the need to develop supportive and personalised interventions to maintain patient performance status by delaying progression, and reduce informal caregiver hours supporting the patient.

Factors associated with the burden of family caregivers of patients with mental disorders: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundCaregivers are responsible for the home care of family members with mental-health disorders often experience changes in their life that can generate stress and burden. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with the burden of caregivers of family members with mental disorders.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted with a non-probability sample of family caregivers, whose patients attended a community services program, the Psychosocial Care Centers, in three cities in the southwest region of Goiás State, Central Brazil. Data collection took place from June 2014 to June 2015. The participants were 281 caregivers who completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). Bivariate analyses (t test, analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation) were performed, and variables with values of p < 0.10 and gender were included in a multiple-linear regression model. Values of p < 0.05 were considered significant.ResultsThe caregivers were mostly female and parents of the patients, were married, with low education, and of low income. The mean ZBI score was 27.66. The factors independently associated with caregivers’ burden were depression, being over 60 years of age, receiving no help with caregiving, recent patient crisis, contact days, and having other family members needing care.ConclusionsThis study identified factors that deserve the attention of community services and can guide programs, such as family psycho-education groups, which may help to minimize or prevent the effects of burden on family caregivers responsible for patients’ home care.

Burden for caregivers of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in Oman

IntroductionNurturing children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD is associated with psychological burden to the caregivers. Oman has a pyramidal population structure with the bulk of the population are in the pediatric age group. Previous studies have indicated that ADHD is common in Oman.ObjectivesTo measure level of burden of care among caregivers of children with ADHD and the relationship between the degree of burden, subtypes of ADHD and socio-demographic factors.MethodsA cross sectional study conducted in a tertiary hospital in Oman. Arabic-version of the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) was used to evaluate the level of burden among the caregivers. The severity and subtypes of ADHD were quantified using Vanderbilt ADHD Parent/Teacher Rating Scale. Socio-demographic background and clinical data were gathered from medical records.ResultsThe study included caregivers of 100 children with ADHD. The mean ZBI score was significantly high for the parents of children with ADHD. As for the relationship with socio-demographic background, mothers of children with ADHD reported a higher mean ZBI score compared to fathers. Factors such as income, number of siblings, and severity/subtypes of ADHD played significant roles.ConclusionTo our knowledge, this is the first study of Arab/Islamic population exploring the burden of care for children with ADHD. Some of the risk factors appear to have direct effects. If this study will withstand further scrutiny, concerted effort is needed in emerging economies such as Oman to address the issue of burden among the caregivers of children with ADHD.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.