The differences between health professionals in assessing levels of caregiver burden

This study examined the ways in which 44 different health professionals appraised a series of comments from those relatives who were the main caregivers of people with schizophrenia. The comments reflected different dimensions of caregiver burden, and were used to develop a questionnaire. The respondents were given 60 different quotes from caregivers, and asked to rate the burden severity of each burden quoted, in three different scenarios that could apply: the burden happening once, the burden happening on a regular basis, and the burden happening in conjunction with other problems. The results were analysed in relation to the question as to whether there were differences in the ratings of different demographic groups within the professional sample undertaking the questionnaire. The results showed that there were wide areas of agreement between the different demographic groups in the study. However, there were a number of differences in burden ratings relating to caregivers' concerns over patients' thoughts and behaviours, and also to the caregivers' annoyance with health services. There were also some specific areas of difference between male and female professionals, nursing and non-nursing professionals, and between those with five years experience or less, and those professionals with over five years experience.