Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale Research Articles

Quality of life and mental health status in caregivers of pediatric patients with nephropathic cystinosis.

There are few studies assessing psychological burden and quality of life (QoL) in caregivers of pediatric patients with nephropathic cystinosis, a severe chronic disease. This observational, single-center study aimed to explore the levels of anxiety, depression, care burden, and QoL status in caregivers of patients with nephropathic cystinosis. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale, and the Short Form-36 (SF-36) were administered to caregivers of pediatric patients with nephropathic cystinosis. Nine caregivers of pediatric patients with nephropathic cystinosis participated in the study (6 boys and 3 girls; mean age, 12.6 ± 4.2 years). All participating caregivers were the patient's mothers. Of the 9 caregivers, 6 showed anxiety/depression and 4 severe care burden. Overall, SF-36 QoL domains with a worse perception by caregivers were 'general health' and 'health change over time'. Mothers without depression/anxiety and low care burden had better QoL perception (p = 0.02). All caregivers with high care burden showed anxiety/depression. In our study cohort, caregivers of pediatric patients with nephropathic cystinosis showed high levels of anxiety/depression, high care burden, and impaired QoL, highlighting the importance of detecting psycho-social issues to implement strategies that relieve family stress and improve coping strategies.

The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the caregiving burden of individuals caring for patients with chronic neurological diseases.

Caring for neurological patients poses a serious burden on caregivers, even in normal times. It is likely that this burden has become even more painful post-COVID-19 pandemic. This study evaluates the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the care burden of those who care for patients with chronic neurological diseases. The study included 50 patients and 50 caregivers. All the tests were conducted twice, it was answered firstly, according to the pre-COVID-19 pandemic, and secondly, during the COVID-19 pandemic period. The depression levels of the patients and caregivers were assessed with the Beck Depression Scale, their sleep quality with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, their quality of life was assessed with the RAND 36-Item Health Survey, and caregivers' burden of care was evaluated with the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale. It was observed at the end of the study that the depression levels of patients (p = 0.00), and caregivers (p = 0.00) increased post-COVID-19 pandemic, the sleep quality of caregivers (p = 0.00), and patients (p = 0.02) decreased post-COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, it was determined that caregivers' burden of care increased (p = 0.00). Sub-parameters of the RAND 36-Item Health Survey, physical functioning (p = 0.02), role limitations due to physical health (p = 0.00), and role limitations due to emotional problems (p = 0.03) decreased for caregivers. In summary, we concluded that the well-being and psychological status of both patients and their caregivers were adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Determining the Care Burden and Burnout Levels of Family Members Providing Care for Cancer Patients

Objectives: Caregivers’ care burden and burnout levels are projected to increase as the physical independence of their patients decreases. This study aimed to determine the care burden and burnout perception of caregivers of cancer patients. Methods: The study was conducted with 143 patient relatives who were providing primary care for patients treated between March 1 and June 1, 2017, in the clinics of the Institute of Oncology of Istanbul University. The data were collected using the “ Personal information form “, “Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale” and “Maslach Burnout Inventory”. Data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical program. Descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, minimum, maximum, standard deviation) student t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient were used for data analysis. Results: The mean score from the burden interview was found 27.38±17.04. In the burnout inventory results, the mean of emotional exhaustion is 19.61±9.08, the mean of depersonalization is 8.78±5.38, and the mean of decrease in personal accomplishment is 29.66±5.91. Individuals’ perceptions of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization increase as their perception of care burden increases (p<.001). There was, however, no relationship between care burden and personal accomplishment (p>.05). The study demonstrated that caregivers’ care burden and burnout perceptions increased as cancer patients’ self-care ability worsened (p=.001). Conclusion: It has been found that the perceived care burden level is low and burnout level is middle among the caregivers of cancer patients. The patients’ level of dependency increases perceptions of caregiver burden and burnout increases too.

The mediating effect of family resilience between coping styles and caregiver burden in maintenance hemodialysis patients: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundPrimary caregivers of hemodialysis patients suffer from varying degrees of stress from their patients. Caring for hemodialysis patients can expose caregivers to many problems, leading to an increased burden of care and even impacting the quality of care. The purpose of our study was to examine whether family resilience could be a mediating variable moderating the relationship between patient coping styles and caregiver burden.MethodsThe study was a cross-sectional and descriptive-analytical study that interviewed 173 pairs of hemodialysis patients and their caregivers at a blood purification center in a public hospital in China. The Brief Coping Styles Scale (Chinese version) was used to assess individuals’ coping styles for disease and treatment. From the caregiver’s perspective, the Family Resilience Assessment Scale (Chinese version) was used to understand the resilience of families, and the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale was used to capture the caregiver’s subjective experience of burden. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 23 and Amos version 26 to analyze the relationships between variables to examine for correlation and construct mediated effects models.ResultsCoping styles showed a significant positive correlation with family resilience (r = 0.347, P < 0.01) and a negative correlation with caregiver burden (r = -0.379, P < 0.01). A significant negative correlation was found between family resilience and caregiver burden (r = -0.503, P < 0.01). In the mediation model, patient coping styles directly impacted caregiver burden significantly (95% CI [-0.372, -0.058]), and coping styles indirectly impacted caregiver burden by family resilience in a significant way (95% CI [-0.275, -0.098]).ConclusionsPatient coping styles directly affect caregiver burden. Family resilience is a mediating variable between patients’ coping styles and the burden on caregivers.

Effects of 6-month customized home-based exercise on motor development, bone strength, and parental stress in children with simple congenital heart disease: a single-blinded randomized clinical trial

BackgroundNew “noncardiac” problems in children with congenital heart disease (CHD), such as developmental delay or long-term neurodevelopmental impairments, have attracted considerable attention in recent years. It is hypothesized that exercise might attenuate CHD-associated neurodevelopmental impairments; however, this has not been thoroughly investigated. The objective of this prospective, single-blinded, randomized controlled experiment was to evaluate the impact of customized home-based exercise for children with CHD.MethodsChildren aged 0–5 years with echocardiography-confirmed simple CHD subtypes who were scheduled to undergo cardiac catheterization were screened for enrolment. Among 420 screened CHD children, 192 were enrolled and randomly assigned at a 1:1 ratio to receive a 6-month intervention (30 min daily customized home-based exercise program with supervision for no less than 5 days per week, combined with home-based exercise education) or control treatment (home-based education). The primary outcome was motor development (gross motor quotient (GMQ), fine motor quotient (FMQ), and total motor quotient (TMQ)). The secondary outcomes were cardiac function and structure, bone quality, physical development, parental anxiety, caregiver burden, and quality of life. Children and their families were assessed before and 1, 3, and 6 months after catheterization; 183 (95.3%) children were included in the primary analysis.ResultsAfter 6-month treatment, the intervention group significantly increased their motor quotient, which was consistently higher than that of the control group (GMQ p < 0.0001, FMQ p = 0.02, TMQ p < 0.001). The physical developments in height, weight, and circumferences of the upper-arm, chest, and head were also significantly improved by exercise (all p < 0.017). No significant improvements in the bone strength or the cardiac structure and function were found among patients in the intervention group (all p > 0.017). For parents, higher quality of life level (total score p = 0.016) was observed in the intervention group; while effects of exercise on the anxiety (rude score p = 0.159, standard score p = 0.159) or the Zarit caregiver burden scale score (p = 0.404) were non-significant. No adverse events occurred during the study period.ConclusionsCustomized home-based exercise improved motor development in children with CHD. While the long-term effects of parent training in home-based exercise are unknown, the study results suggest positive outcomes.Trial registrationA home-based exercise program in congenital heart disease children with cardiac catheterization: a randomized controlled trial. (http://www.chictr.org.cn/, ChiCTR-IOR-16007762, January 14, 2016).

Mutual Aid Groups for Loneliness, Psychosocial Disability, and Continuity of Care.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of mutual help groups in continuity of care, loneliness and psychosocial disability in a Colombian context. For this, a quasi-experimental design is used, with pre- and post-intervention assessments due to non-randomized participant allocation. The study involved 131 individuals with mental disorders. The Psychosocial Disability Scale, The Alberta Scale of Continuity of Services in Mental Health, the UCLA Scale and the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale were employed. The intervention was based on the core components of mutual aid groups. Significant differences (p < 0.001) were observed for the study variables, particularly in Loneliness, Continuity of Care, and various domains of psychosocial disability. A large effect size was found for these variables after the intervention. Most variables exhibited a moderate to large effect. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of mutual groups facilitated by mental health personnel at the primary care level.

Effect of deep brain stimulation compared with drug therapy alone on the progression of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) symptoms deteriorate with disease progression. Although deep brain stimulation (DBS) can effectively improve the motor signs of PD patients, it is not yet known whether DBS surgery, which is an invasive treatment modality, may change the progression of PD. The aim of this work was to compare the effect of DBS with that of drug treatment on the progression of PD. A total of 77 patients with PD with the Hoehn and Yahr scale (HY) stage of 2.5 or 3 were included, and were divided into 34 in the drug therapy alone group (Drug-G) and 43 in the DBS therapy group (DBS-G). All patients were subjected to a follow-up of 2 years, and disease severity was assessed by the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part III (UPDRS-III), the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA), the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), and the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) scores. In addition, the quality of life of patients and the burden on their family were assessed by the 39-item PD questionnaire (PDQ-39) scores, daily levodopa equivalent dose (LED), patient's annual treatment-related costs, and the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale (ZCBS) score. The changes in relevant scale scores between the two groups were compared at each follow-up stage. The UPDRS-III score of the patients in the "off" state increased from year to year in both groups, and the degree of increase of this score was greater in the DBS-G than in the Drug-G group. The MOCA score in both groups began to decline in the 2nd year of follow-up, and the decline was greater in the Drug-G than in the DBS-G group. DBS treatment did not affect patients' psychiatric disorders. The PDQ39, LED, costs, and ZCBS were negatively correlated with the follow-up time in patients in the DBS-G group, and positively correlated with the follow-up time in patients in the Drug-G. PD is progressive regardless of treatment. The findings from this follow-up study suggest that the disease progression of patients in DBS-G may be slightly faster compared to the drug-G, but the advantages of DBS are also evident. Indeed, DBS better improves patient's motor signs and quality of life and reduces the family burden. In addition, DBS has less impact on patients in terms of cognitive and mental effects.

Interaction between the Caregiver Burdens and Spiritual Orientations of the Families of Children Receiving Home Care Services

Objectives: The permanent nature of possession of children receiving home care services (HCS) can represent a severe caregiver burden for parents. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between these parents’ caregiver burdens and spiritual orientation.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: The parents of 118 children receiving HCS participated in this cross-sectional, descriptive study. Data were collected using a Sociodemographic Information Form, the Spiritual Orientation Scale (SOS), and the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale (ZBCS).&#x0D; Results: The mother was the caregiver for 39.8% of the children receiving HHS, while both parents provided care for 55.9%. Income was lower than expenditure among 65.3% of caregivers, and 80.5% were housewives. The parents of children aged 1-6 years exhibited lower spiritual orientation levels and a higher caregiver burden than those with older children. Spiritual orientation levels were higher among parents with low education levels and income lower than expenditure. &#x0D; Conclusions: Parents with high spiritual orientation scores were found to perceive a lower caregiver burden. This indicates the need for activities aimed at providing spiritual support for parents.

The Relationship Between Temperament Traits, Care Burden, and Coping Levels of Caregivers of Psychotic Patients

Objective: This study was carried out to examine the relationship between temperament traits, care burden, and coping levels of caregivers of psychotic patients. Methods: The study was conducted with 160 caregivers of psychotic patients that were admitted to two public hospitals and community mental health centers affiliated to these hospitals in southeastern Turkey, and received inpatient treatment. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with caregivers. “Personal Information Form”, “Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ)”, “TEMPS-A Scale” and “Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale (ZCBS)” were used as data collection tools. Results: The mean total score of ZCBS of the caregivers was found to be 65.01±11.74. It was found that 26.3% (n=42) of the caregivers had depressive temperament as the dominant temperament trait, and they got the highest score from the submissive approach sub-dimension of the WCQ. A negative and statistically significant correlation was found between ZCBS total scores and the self-confident approach and optimistic approach sub-dimensions of WCQ, and a positive and statistically significant correlation was found between ZCBS total scores and depressive and anxious temperament sub-dimensions of the TEMPS-A (p&lt;0.05). Conclusion: It was observed that the majority of caregivers had a depressive temperament, caregiving was perceived as a great burden by caregivers, and they could not use effective coping methods. The temperament traits of caregivers affect the coping method used and the perceived caregiver burden. Since the caregiver's ability to effectively cope with stress will closely affect the patient's care and well-being, knowing the temperament traits, perceived burden level, and coping strategies of the caregiver is important for intervention programs towards psychiatric nurses.

Impact of Care Burden on the Quality of Life in Families of Children with Solid-Organ Transplants.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of care burden on the quality of life of parents who have children who have undergone solid-organ transplant. The research was conducted as a descriptive correlational study. Researchers collected data through face-to-face interviews with parents of patients registered in the Solid Organ Transplantation and Pediatric Nephrology outpatient clinic of Akdeniz University Hospital. The data collection tools included a Descriptive Information Form, the SF-36 Quality of Life Scale, and the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, percentages, Pearson correlation analysis, t tests, analysis of variance, and the Kruskal-Wallis test. Parents in the study had a mean age of 32.12 ± 5.42 years; 100% of the parent participants were mothers. Among children who received transplants, 55.8% were boys. Solid-organ transplant types included 86% with liver transplants and 6.9% with kidney transplants. The mean burden of care score of parents was 38.72 ± 7.12, and the mean quality of life score was 28.14 ± 1.49. A significant negative correlation was found between the care burden of parents and their quality of life. Families of children with solid-organ transplants face a significant care burden, which negatively affects their quality of life. The burden extends beyond parents to siblings and the overall family dynamics. Health care providers should recognize and address this burden by implementing comprehensive support services tailored to the specific needs of these families. A multidisciplinary approach involving various professionals is necessary to provide effective support. Interventions such as respite care, support groups, counseling services, and educational programs can help alleviate the burden and improve the overall well-being of these families. Future research should aim to develop targeted interventions and explore the experiences of these families in more depth.

HOW REAL IS THIS DEAL? EVALUATING AI ACCURACY IN PROVIDING SUPPORT TO DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS

Abstract Background Dementia, a devastating and incurable disease, affects millions of older Americans, placing astronomical levels of burden on caregivers, who usually lack resources to learn to provide their loved ones with high-quality care. Artificial Intelligence (AI), a programmed pioneering resource to generate immediate automated responses, is universally available when one looks for potentially accurate answers. Objective: To evaluate accuracy of AI sites pertaining to questions related to dementia caregiving Methods AI sites (ChatGPT and Textero.ai) were asked questions about dementia caregiving aspects such as self-care, patient symptoms/complications, stress control and managing expectations. Dementia caregiving experts reviewed and classified responses using the validated Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale (ZCBS) as framework. Inter-reliability scores were calculated among reviewers’ responses. Results AI sites responded in paragraph and list formats. Common themes identified by reviewers from both AI sites included self-care suggestions and seeking/accepting help. Several ZCBS aspects were not addressed by both sites such as guilt, exhaustion, negative emotions, and patient’s dependence. Textero.ai obtained lower scores addressing ZCBS, specifically not addressing potential caregiver’s unreasonable expectations. Inter-reliability score (reviewers) was 0.91 (highly significant). Conclusions In evaluating varied aspects of caregiving, results showed that AI sites, as it pertains to dementia caregiving are promising resources for accurately emphasizing caregiver’s self-help encouraging positive thoughts. However, validation and exploration of negative feelings and emotions within AI sites might not be properly addressed for dementia caregivers. Further studies need to further explore the use of AI in combination with hands-on dementia interventions to validate all aspects of caregiving.

Impact of the COVID‐19 Pandemic on Patients with Dementia or Parkinson’s Disease and their Caregivers in Lima, Peru

AbstractBackgroundProgressive neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia and Parkinson’s disease (PD), lead to difficulties completing activities of daily living (ADLs). In Peru, a low‐to‐middle income country, caregivers are family members who learn to provide caregiving based on the patient’s primary neurologists’ recommendations and through social media. During the COVID‐19 pandemic, Peru had one of the strictest enforced lockdowns, yet the country had one of the highest mortality rates worldwide. Little is known of the pandemic’s effect on patients with neurodegenerative conditions and their caregivers in Peru. This study aimed to examine the effect of the pandemic on patients and caregivers.MethodWe enrolled participants who were caregivers of patients with dementia or PD who receive care at a large public neurology hospital in Lima, Peru. A modified version of the Zarit Caregiver burden scale and a questionnaire on COVID‐19 symptoms, mental and physical well‐being was administered to each caregiver by phone. We performed descriptive statistics.ResultWe enrolled 44 caregivers with females comprising 80% of patients and 60% of caregivers, mean+/‐ standard deviation (SD) age of 73.2+/‐11.4 and 48.6+/‐12.1 years, respectively. More than 70% of patients had dementia and 20.5% had PD. Nearly one‐third of patients tested positive for COVID‐19 and nearly all patients were fully vaccinated with a booster. Nearly all patients (98%) adopted social isolation measures and 86% of patients maintained social connections with family by phone. Unfortunately, many patients had difficulties obtaining medications (48%), felt lonelier (52%), and had an increase in anxiety (60%), agitation (43%), hallucinations (50%), and forgetfulness (71%) compared to before the pandemic.The majority of caregivers had only completed secondary school (34%) with nearly 40% reporting working full‐time in addition to caregiving. We found that 82% felt more overwhelmed with caregiving, 16% reported interruptions in additional caregiving support and 73% needed to dedicate more time to caregiving.ConclusionMore studies are needed to highlight where the most difficult aspects of caregiving in low‐and‐ middle income countries to target caregiving resources and ameliorate caregiving burden worsened during the pandemic. Developing caregiver training sessions to improve patient quality of life is crucial.

A mixed-methods study of Indian mothers assessing the effect of the lockdown on the understanding of ADHD in their child and the burden experienced.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most commonly diagnosed developmental disorders and is common among referrals to child guidance clinics. This study aimed to study the impact of the lockdown during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the mother's understanding of ADHD and the burden faced by her. A mixed-methods design with a combination of a qualitative and quantitative approach was adopted. An in-depth in-person semi-structured interview with the participant's mother was conducted. The qualitative and quantitative part of the study consisted of burden assessment by the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale. The responses were transcribed, and themes were identified. As far as understanding the disorder was concerned, the major themes identified were "Knew about the child's problems from teachers but online schooling made me see the child's issues in person" and "Knew about the illness but more time led to bonding and understanding the child." When questioned about the burden faced, the major themes that evolved were "Increased exhaustion taking care of a child 24/7" and "Increased burden as one felt angry and irritated with the child, the school, and the family." The Zarit caregiver questionnaire revealed a statistically significant difference in the burden of care before and after the pandemic, with a greater number of mothers falling in the mild to moderate and severe categories of burden. The COVID-19 pandemic increased the caregiver burden for mothers of children with ADHD. Their understanding of their child's disorder increased significantly as they could spend more time and devise different ways and means of helping their child in academics and other areas.

Evaluation of Psychiatric Symptomatology, Quality of Life, and Caregiver Burden in Mothers and Children with Primary Immunodeficiency

Background: The present study aimed to evaluate the quality of life, depression, and anxiety scores of children with primary immunodeficiency (PID) and depression, anxiety scores, and the caregiving burden of their mothers. Methods: A total of 149 children aged 2-18 years and their mothers were included in the present study, along with 125 healthy children and their mothers as a control group. The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), Child Depression Inventory (CDI), and Screening for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) questionnaire were used based on the views of children and their mothers. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, San Diego Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A), and Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale (ZCB) were used for the mothers. Results: According to children and their mothers, the scores of the PedsQL were lower than that of the control group (P &lt; 0.05). In addition, according to the views of children and mothers, we found that PID children had higher depression and anxiety scores than healthy children (P &lt; 0.05). The depression and anxiety levels of mothers in the patient group were also significantly higher than those in the control group (P = 0.05 and P = 0.001). Conclusion: Statistically, we found significantly lower psychosocial health summary scores and total scale score levels from the subclass of PedsQL in the patient group than in the control group. According to the views of both children and mothers, we observed that PID children had higher depression and anxiety scores than healthy children. It was also found that the BDI and BAI values in case of mothers in the patient group were significantly higher than those in the control group.

The Effect on Home Caregivers of a Family Support Program Based on a Nurse-Led Case Management Model: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial

Home caregivers have a large amount of responsibility, and many have difficulty in fulfilling their care-giving roles. Previous studies have shown that when caregivers are supported socially, psychologically, and culturally, there is a positive improvement in caregivers’ coping skills, quality of live, and a decrease in health problems. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a family support program based on the nurse-led case management model on home caregivers by measuring quality of life, caregiver burden, and family functionality level. In this study 27 home caregivers were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. The family support program based on a 5-stage nurse-led case management model was administered for the caregivers in the intervention group (n = 13) for 6 months. The caregivers in the control group (n = 14) were monitored by home health services through routine follow-ups. Baseline and postintervention assessments included the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale, the World Health Organization Quality of Life–Brief Turkish Form, and the Family APGAR Scale. It was found out that there was a statistically significant difference among caregiver burden, quality of life, and family functionality level total scores of caregivers in the intervention and control groups ( p &lt; .05). A family support program based on nurse-led case management model has a supportive role for caregivers, where web-based education and counseling services are available, patients and their relatives are monitored by a multidisciplinary health team, and their educational needs are met.

Comparisons of Occupational Balance Within Informal Caregivers of Individuals With Schizophrenia.

The caregiving burden experienced by informal caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia (ICIWS) can affect their perceived occupational balance (OB). This study examines the differences in OB among ICIWS with different caregiving burden levels. This cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 149 ICIWS. The Occupational Balance Questionnaire 11-Turkish Version (OBQ11-T) was used to assess the participants' OB. The Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale was employed to evaluate caregiving burden levels. Statistically significant differences were found in the total score of OBQ11-T, Item 3 (time for doing things wanted), Item 5 (having sufficient time for doing obligatory occupations), and Item 9 (balance between obligatory/voluntary occupations) between the severe and little caregiving burden groups (p < .05). Caregiving for individuals with schizophrenia can lead to varying levels of caregiving burden, which negatively affects OB. Occupational therapists working with ICIWS should assess OB and address OB-related challenges to alleviate caregiver burden.

Strain and Burden among Caregivers of Stroke Survivors in Punjab: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Caregivers may feel stressed and burdened while caring for a stroke survivor. However, very few studies have assessed the burden among caregivers of Indian stroke patients. Objectives: The present study was done to assess the magnitude and predictors of strain and burden among caregivers of stroke survivors discharged from a tertiary care hospital in Punjab, India. Method: This cross-sectional study included consecutive newly diagnosed stroke patients from January 2021 till April 2022 at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Amritsar, India. The level of strain and burden among the caregivers was assessed using the Caregiver’s strain index (CSI) and Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale (ZCBS) respectively. A minimum sample size of 110 stroke patients was calculated. Odds ratios were calculated for identifying predictors of strain and burden among caregivers using multivariate regression analysis. Results: Mean CSI for all caregivers was 6.67 ± 1.81. Using a cut-off of ≥ 7, authors found 40.2% of the caregivers to have great strain. Modified rankin scale (mRS) at the time of interview (AOR = 2.77, p value = 0.0063), presence of comorbidities in the patient (AOR = 3.07, p value = 0.023 and caregiver being female (AOR = 2.96, p value = 0.036) to be significantly associated with higher odds of having great strain. Using ZCBS, 18.1% had minimal burden, 53.5% had mild to moderate burden, 24.4% had moderate to severe burden and 3.9% had severe burden. mRS at the time of interview (AOR = 5.38, p value = 0.0048), presence of comorbidities in the patient (AOR = 7.63, p value = 0.0031), caregiver being female (AOR = 9.67, p value = 0.0072) and not being at all confident to care (AOR = 4.94, p value = 0.013) to be significantly associated with higher odds of having great burden, while rural residence (AOR = 0.55, p value = 0.0011) was associated with lower odds of high burden. Conclusion: High strain was observed among 40.1% of the care givers of Indian stroke survivors and 24.4% had moderate to severe burden. Thus, the strain and burden among caregivers of Indian stroke patients is very high.

The effect of discharge training and telephone counseling service on patients’ functional status and caregiver burden after stroke: A randomized controlled trial

Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of discharge training and telephone counseling service on patients’ functional status and caregiver burden after stroke. Methods: This study was conducted as a randomized controlled trial in 69 stroke patients and their caregivers. Discharge training and telephone counseling were given to the caregivers in the intervention group. Caregivers also received telephone counseling by calling researcher when needed. Information form for participants, Modified Rankin Scale, Barthel Index and The Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale were used for data collection. Pre-tests were applied to the intervention and control groups before discharge. Three months after discharge post-tests were performed for the two groups. Results: Three months after discharge, caregivers’ burden was significantly lower in the intervention group compared to the control group. The mean Modified Rankin Scale score of the patients in the intervention group was significantly lower than the control group three months after discharge. Although the mean Barthel Index score of the patients in the intervention group was statistically significant higher than before discharge, but the difference between the groups was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Discharge training and telephone counseling provided to the caregivers of stroke patients reduced the caregiver burden and had a positive effect on the improvement of the functional status of the patients.

Burdens Among Wives of Disabled People in the Light of Some Social Variables [Edit] [Profile

Objectives: This study aims to identify the burdens among wives of disabled people in the light of some independent variables. Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 197 domestic wives were surveyed using a standardized questionnaire to measure the burden among wives of disabled people. Data were collected using the independent variables and Zarit caregiver burden scale (ZCBS) for burden. The study was conducted using interview techniques and analyzed via SPSS software, version 20 using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Results: The study results showed that the average age was 35 years old, 30-39 years old, 52.3% were secondary school graduates, 68.5% were families with 1-4 children, 43.1% had insufficient income, and 61.4% were employed. Significant differences were observed in wives’ burdens in terms of their age, education level, family size, income, occupation, disability types, reasons, and duration (P&lt;0.05). Discussion: Wives of disabled people live under significant burdens influenced by different independent variables depending on individual differences. Decision makers should give employment priority to the wives of the disabled to protect the family and fulfill its needs, as well as the need to focus on societal awareness of disability and what the wife and family of the disabled suffer.

Investigation of Quality of Life of Patients with Atopic Dermatitis and Quality of Life, Psychiatric Symptomatology, and Caregiver Burden of Their Mothers.

The purpose of the present research was to evaluate the quality of life of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), and that of their mothers. We compared the anxiety and depression scores and caregiving burden of mothers of patients with AD with the same scores of mothers of healthy children. A total of 153 patients between the ages of 2 months and 16 years with AD in our clinic, and their mothers, were contained in the patient group. An additional 141 healthy cases between the ages of 2 months and 16 years, and their mothers, were included as the control group. The Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) was completed according to the children's opinions, and the Infant's Dermatitis Quality of Life Index (IDLQI), Family Dermatology Life Quality Index (FDLQI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego Autoquestionnaire, and Zarit Caregiver Burden (ZCB) scale were completed based on the mothers' opinions. We detected a positive relationship between the SCORAD index and the IDLQI, CDLQI, and FDLQI scores of children with AD. We found that anxiety, depression, and caregiving burden in mothers of AD cases increased when mothers of AD cases were compared with mothers of healthy children (p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, and p < 0.002, respectively). Also, based on the mothers' responses, we noted a positive correlation among the BDI, BAI, ZCB, and SCORAD index scores. Our study found that the quality of life of patients with AD, and that of their mothers, was negatively affected by the disease. We also found that anxiety, depression levels (not at the clinical diagnosis level, and the caregiving burden in mothers of AD cases increased when mothers of AD cases were compared with mothers of healthy children.