The Caregiver Burden Inventory in evaluating the burden of caregivers of elderly demented patients: results from a multicenter study.
OBJECTIVE
The burden perceived by caregivers of patients with dementia is a fundamental prognostic aspect in the history of the disease. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the internal consistency of the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI), a scale used to quantify burdens in different aspects of a caregiver's life, and the influence of patients' and caregivers' characteristics on its different dimensions.


METHODS
In this cross-sectional study, 419 demented patients and their caregivers were evaluated in 16 geriatric centers in Italy. Cognitive status and behavioral disturbances were assessed by the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), respectively. Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) were also evaluated. Comorbidity was assessed by the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS). The severity of dementia was evaluated by the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) score. Caregiver distress due to the behavioral problems of the patient was assessed by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Distress, a subscale of the NPI which evaluates stress caused by each behavioral disturbance of the patient, and by the Brief Symptom Inventory which evaluates anxiety and depression. Burden was evaluated by the CBI.


RESULTS
The CBI showed very high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha value > 0.80). Factor analysis showed that the items clustered into four dimensions, and not five as originally proposed. Multiple regression analysis revealed that patients' behavioral disturbances and disability were the major predictors of the time-dependent burden; the psychophysical burden was explained mainly by caregiver anxiety and depression.


CONCLUSIONS
The CBI proved to be an effective multidimensional tool for evaluating the impact of burden on many aspects of caregivers' lives.
Marvardi
Martina
M
Dept of Gerontology and Geriatrics, University of perugia.
Mattioli
Paola
P
Spazzafumo
Liana
L
Mastriforti
Roberta
R
Rinaldi
Patrizia
P
Polidori
Maria Cristina
MC
Cherubini
Antonio
A
Quartesan
Roberto
R
Bartorelli
Luisa
L
Bonaiuto
Salvatore
S
Cucinotta
Domenico
D
Di Iorio
Angelo
A
Gallucci
Maurizio
M
Giordano
Marcello
M
Martorelli
Marina
M
Masaraki
Giorgio
G
Nieddu
Antonio
A
Pettenati
Carla
C
Putzu
Paolo
P
Solfrizzi
Vincenzo
V
Tammaro
Aldo Edoardo
AE
Tomassini
Pia Francesca
PF
Vergani
Carlo
C
Senin
Umberto
U
Mecocci
Patrizia
P
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D015897:Comorbidity; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013997:Time Factors