The presence of subjective burden is associated with the appearance of certain disorders, such as anxiety or depression. Different studies have shown that an increase in the burden regarding newborn care could be associated with an increase in depressive symptoms in women during the postpartum period.
In this context, it is interesting to have an instrument adapted to women during the puerperium, which allows a specific assessment of subjective burden. The Caregiver Strain Index (CSI) is a simple scale designed to measure burden in family caregivers. This research has determined the validity and reliability of the Caregiver Strain Index in women during postpartum period.
The results obtained in this research study show that the Caregiver Strain Index adapted to newborn care is a valid and reliable tool for screening the subjective burden in women during the puerperium. These findings show the importance of detecting subjective burden during the puerperium, with the aim of implementing prevention and health promotion actions in women at higher risk, and avoiding complications such as the appearance of depressive symptoms or anxiety during this period.
The full article is available at: Feligreras-Alcalá D, Cazalilla-López MdP, del-Pino-Casado R, Frías-Osuna A. Validity and Reliability of the Caregiver Strain Index Scale in Women during the Puerperium in Spain. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(7):3602. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073602.
