title: A Multicenter Pilot Study of Burden Among Caregivers of Geriatric Rehabilitation Patients With Neuromusculoskeletal Diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we aimed to describe the sociodemographic characteristics of caregivers of patients in a geriatric unit and to clarify the relationship between caregiver burden and specific clinical variables in the patients and the characteristics of the caregivers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional multicenter study.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred twenty-three patients and 123 caregiver dyads, with mean ages of 72.5 ± 7.7 years and 51 ± 14.7 years, respectively, were included. The functional, psychological, and cognitive statuses of the patients were determined, and the sociodemographic characteristics of the caregivers as well as the type and duration of caregiving were recorded. Caregivers completed the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) to measure the perceived burden of care. Most patients were female and generally lived with their family.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the caregivers were family members (90%), female (73.2%), primary school graduates (52.8%), and first-degree relatives (73.1%). The average CBI score was 33, and the highest CBI subscores were for time, developmental, and physical burdens. Caregiver burden correlated with the patient's ambulatory, psychological, and cognitive status and with the caregiver's age, gender, income level, and duration of caregiving.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have highlighted the relationship between caregiver and patient characteristics in a cohort of elderly Turkish patients with neurological and musculoskeletal disorders. In particular, we have highlighted the heavy caregiver burden in a developing country.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results may guide the nurses to understand the requirements of caregivers and to help them find suitable resources that would meet their needs to cope with their burden.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical Faculty, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey2 Faculty of Nursing, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey3 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical Faculty, Kirikkale University, Kirikkale, Turkey4 Department of Bio-Statistics, Medical Faculty, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey5 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical Faculty, Erzurum University, Erzurum, Turkey6 Clinic of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ankara Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey7 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey8 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical Faculty, Ordu University, Ordu, Turkey9 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical Faculty, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey10 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical Faculty, Balikesir University, Balikesir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Pinar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Borman
authors.forename: Yeşim
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gökçe-Kutsal
authors.forename: Füsun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Terzioğlu
authors.forename: Muyesser
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okumuş
authors.forename: Esma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ceceli
authors.forename: Sevilay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karahan
authors.forename: Kazim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Şenel
authors.forename: Kutay Ordu
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Gökkaya
authors.forename: Asuman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doğan
authors.forename: Nurten
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eskiyurt
authors.forename: Rezan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Günaydin
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eyigör
authors.forename: Nilay
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Şahin
authors.forename: Mehtap
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Şahin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005853:Geriatrics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009468:Neuromuscular Diseases / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D019145:Rehabilitation Nursing / Q000379:methods; D014421:Turkey