Caring for Carers: Biopsychosocial Burden in Caregivers of Persons with Disability- A Cross-sectional Study in Rawalpindi

Sana Arshad; Umer Younas; Muhammad Tawab Khalil; Khalil Ahmad; Syed Naveed Mumtaz; Maryam Itfaq

doi:10.37185/LnS.1.1.610

Sana Arshad Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (AFIRM), Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Umer Younas Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Hyderabad, Pakistan
Muhammad Tawab Khalil Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (AFIRM), Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Khalil Ahmad Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (AFIRM), Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Syed Naveed Mumtaz Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (AFIRM), Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Maryam Itfaq Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (AFIRM), Rawalpindi, Pakistan

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.610

Keywords: Caregiver, Caregiver Burden, Developing Country, Pakistan, Persons with Disability, Rehabilitation

Abstract

Objective: The study aimed to determine the caregiver burden experienced by caregivers of persons with
disability (PWD) reporting to a tertiary care rehabilitation medicine facility.
Study Design: A cross-sectional observational study.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at the Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (AFIRM), Rawalpindi, Pakistan from April 2022 to March 2023.
Methods: A total of 90 patients were enrolled in the study using a non-probability purposive sampling
technique. The Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI), a tool developed to assess the burden experienced by
informal caregivers across five domains — time-dependence, developmental, physical, social, and emotional
—was used to measure multidimensional aspects of caregiving and burden of care. Statistical analysis of data
was done using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).
Results: Total caregiver burden score amongst participants was statistically significant (P value: 0.046). Among
the five domains used by CBI, the physical domain was most affected (P-value: 0.004). The mean total CBI score
was 26.5 (IQR 18.7 - 37). A positive correlation was found between increased age and increased total CBI score
(0.231; P-value of 0.04). There was no correlation between the duration of care provided by caregiver and total
CBI score (0.052; P-value = 0.625).
Conclusion: The presence of a high burden of care seen among female caregivers, older individuals, and in
those providing care to persons with various comorbidities, depicts a need for structured support systems,
including respite care services, financial assistance programs, and caregiver-friendly policies to alleviate this
burden.

How to cite this: Arshad S, Younas U, Khalil MT, Ahmad K, Mumtaz SN, Itfaq M. Caring for Carers: Biopsychosocial Burden in Caregivers of Persons with Disability- A Cross-sectional Study in Rawalpindi. Life and Science. 2025; 6(4): 569-576. doi: http://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.610