The burden of traumatic brain injury on caregivers: exploring the predictive factors in a multi-centric study

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. With survivors often exhibiting degrees of function loss, a significant burden is exerted on their caregivers. The purpose of this study was to explore the predictive factors of caregiver burden among caregivers of patients with TBI.

Sixty-eight family members of individuals with a TBI who had been admitted to three hospitals were assessed in terms of caregiver burden using the Zarit Burden Interview. The association of caregiver burden with patients’ baseline cognitive function according to the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test, as well as caregivers’ sociodemographic characteristics, were evaluated using multiple regression analysis.

Based on the multiple regression model, the MoCA score of the patients (std β=-0.442, p < 0.001), duration of caregiving (std β = 0.228, p = 0.044), and higher education of the caregivers (std β = 0.229, p = 0.038) were significant predictors of caregiver burden.

Overall, our findings highlight the importance of taking caregivers’ psychosocial needs into account. Long-term caregivers of TBI patients with cognitive impairment should be viewed as vulnerable individuals who could benefit from psychosocial intervention programs, to improve their well-being and enabling them to enrich their care of the TBI patient.