Spinal cord diseases

Design: Validation cross-sectional study. Objectives: Even though caregiver burden (CB) represents a well-recognised concern among caregivers of people with a spinal cord injury (SCI), there are no specific questionnaires designed for its evaluation. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Caregiver Burden Inventory in Spinal Cord Injury (CBI-SCI), which was modified from its original version, and specifically its construct and reliability. Setting: Multicentre study in four urban spinal units across Italy.

STUDY DESIGN: Literature review. OBJECTIVES: To provide a detailed review of the literature regarding the impact of spinal cord injury (SCI) on the quality of life (QOL) of family members who have become the primary caregiver and to highlight potential interventions available.METHODS: Appropriate databases were searched for relevant peer-reviewed studies. Twenty-five studies (four qualitative and 21 quantitative) were identified which investigated the role that family members play in caring for people with SCI and the impact it has on their QOL.