Caregiver burden according to ageing and type of care activity in caregivers of individuals with spinal cord injury

ObjectiveTo describe caregiver burden according to the caregivers' general characteristics, especially with ageing, and type of care activities provided by caregivers of individuals with spinal cord injury.DesignA cross-sectional study was conducted utilizing a structured questionnaire that included general characteristics, health conditions, and caregiver burden.SettingA single center study in Seoul, Korea.SubjectsParticipants were recruited from 87 individuals with spinal cord injuries and 87 caregivers.MethodsThe Caregiver Burden Inventory was used to assess caregiver burden.ResultsCaregiver burden was significantly different by age (p = 0.001), relationship (p = 0.025), sleep hours (p = <0.001), underlying disease (p = 0.018), pain (p = <0.001), and daily activities of individuals with spinal cord injury (p = 0.001). Caregiver's age (B = 0.339, p = 0.049), sleep duration (B = -2.896, p = 0.012) and pain (B = 2.558, p < 0.001) predicted caregiver burden. Toileting assistance was the most challenging and time-consuming for caregivers, while patient transfer was associated with the greatest concerns for body injury.ConclusionCaregiver education should be targeted according to caregiver's age and type of assistance. Social policies need to be developed to distribute devices and care-robots to reduce caregiver burden and thereby assist caregivers.