ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate caregiver burden based on Zarit Burden
Interview (ZBI) and depression in caregivers on the Beck Depression
Inventory-II (BDI-II).MethodsLiterate individuals, 18 years or older, who spoke Spanish as their native
language were included. Demographic characteristics: Age, sex, education,
relationship to person with dementia, length of time caregiving, other
sources of help for caring, impact on the household economy, family support,
and perception of impaired health; and Clinical data on care-recipients:
type of dementia, time since diagnosis, treatment, and Global Deterioration
Scale (GDS); the ZBI and BDI-II. Descriptive and analytical statistics were
employed to assess caregiver burden and predictors of higher burden in
caregivers.ResultsA total of 92 informal caregivers were evaluated. Regarding care-recipients,
75% were 69 years old or over, 75% had at least one year since diagnosis,
73.9% had Alzheimer's disease, 84.8% received treatment, 75% scored 5 or
over on the GDS. For caregivers, 75% were 55.5 years old or over,
predominantly female (81.5%), married (83.7%), the spouse of care-recipients
(60.87%), had at least 10 years of education (75.0%) and one year of
caregiving (75%), reduced entertainment time (90.2%) and self-perception of
impaired health (83.7%). Median score on the ZBI was 37.5 (minimum value =
3; and maximum value = 74). The coefficient of BDI was 1.38 (p-value
<0.001).ConclusionThis sample of Peruvian informal caregivers showed elevated ZBI values.
Self-perception of worsened health, repercussion on the family economy and
time caregiving were the main determinants of ZBI, although only BDI was a
consistent predictor of ZBI.