La evaluación de la carga del cuidador: una revisión más allá de la escala de Zarit

Abstract

Burden is a key concept in the study of caregivers’ emotional status. Since its introduction in the field, the concept of burden has evolved from unidimensional definitions to a clear differentiation between objective and subjective burden and even to multidimensional models. Nevertheless, the assessment of burden in gerontology has continuously focused, almost exclusively, on Zarit Caregirver Burden Interview. The present study aims to review and analyze the available scales for the assessment of burden applied in gerontology, in order to establish their feasibility according to caregiving features. Moreover, the study determines the burden model underlying each instrument. Consequently, recommendations for the selection of the best instrument for each caregiver and assessment objective are provided.