An Assessment of the Burden on Polish Caregivers of Patients With Dementia: A Preliminary Study.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to assess the level of burden of caregivers of persons with dementia and to analyze the factors related to the sense of burden.

METHODS: The study group consisted of 58 caregivers with an average age of 54.7 (± 12.6) and 45 (78%) were women. The Caregiver Burden Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Berlin Social Support Scale (BSSS), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) were used.

RESULTS: In the study group, 93% could rely on help in caring for the patient, provided mainly by the family. Most caregivers demonstrated a medium level of burden (2.63 ± 0.61). A significant correlation was found between the level of caregiver burden and caregiving frequency, BSSS, BDI, and SWLS.

CONCLUSIONS: A lot of factors influence the caregivers' burden. It appears necessary to take into consideration the cultural, religious, and economic distinctiveness of the country in question.