Usability of the COPE Index in the assessment of subjective caregiving burden of family caregivers of older people: A cross-sectional Study

Aim The aim of the study was to evaluate the usability of the COPE Index in the assessment of subjective caregiving burden of family caregivers providing care for older people in their home environment. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 110 family caregivers. The criterion of including caregivers in the study was their provision of care at home for an older person who needed and received regular long-term nursing care in their home environment. The study was carried out using the COPE Index questionnaire in assessing the situation of family caregivers. The study was reported according to the STROBE checklist. Results The mean result of assessment of negative impact of care in the studied group of caregivers was 16.5 +/- SD 3.0, positive impact of care - 10.4 +/- SD 2.8 and the quality of support - 9.2 +/- SD 1.8. A higher level of caregiving burden was found in 58.2% caregivers. The vast majority of the caregivers were women (83.6%). The care was most often provided by the elderly people's children (51.0%), less often by spouses (17.0%), siblings (10.0%), grandchildren (10.0%) and paid caregivers (10.0%). Conclusion The COPE Index proved to be a useful instrument for routine application in home environment to identify care deficits. Greater caregiving burden of family caregivers of disabled older persons was associated with a higher number of nights devoted to care, growing limitations on professional life, choice to provide care, the caregiver's emotional state, the lack of support in the caregiving role, support from family members and the state of cognitive functions of the care recipient. Relevance to clinical practice This study may help identify and characterise the profile of family caregivers who are at risk of caregiving burden, and can be used to apply well-designed activities aimed at reducing their suffering and providing them support.