title: Factors associated with strain in carers of people with traumatic brain injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore factors associated with strain in carers of patients with traumatic brain injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight carers of patients with traumatic brain injury admitted to a neurosurgical unit over a 9-year period were assessed an average of 9.3 years after injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Caregiver Strain Index (CSI), Neurobehavioral Functioning Inventory (NFI), Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), Virginia Prediction Tree Score, and carer and patient demographics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Carers were assessed via postal survey for levels of strain using the CSI and for their perception of the patients' disabilities using the NFI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Elevated levels of strain were found in 42% of carers. Using logistic regression, outcome as rated by the patients' general practitioner on the GOS and all subscales of the NFI (except Somatic) explained 41% to 57% of the variance in strain and predicted group membership correctly in 72.9% of cases. No individual variable contributed significantly to the explained variance in the model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A number of factors appear to combine to result in feelings of strain, but the GOS could be used as a crude screening tool. Interventions for cognitive, behavioral, and emotional difficulties may be most useful for carers.
authors.affiliation: CLAHRC, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boycott
authors.forename: Paddy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yeoman
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vesey
mesh_terms: D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D023261:Glasgow Outcome Scale; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires