Introduction: The aim of this literature review is to identify the most common tools used to measure burden in carers of people with Parkinson's disease (PD), heart failure (HF), multiple sclerosis (MS) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Method: Databases such as Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Academic Search Complete were searched. Studies in which carer burden was measured were included.