{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]],"date-time":"2026-07-14T22:47:28Z","timestamp":1784069248730,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,6]],"date-time":"2025-06-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1749168000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title><jats:p>Despite growing evidence that underscores the importance of the caregiver\u2019s role in the rehabilitation process, visual rehabilitation (VR) programs often overlook these needs. The aim of this pilot study is to investigate the caregiving burden (CB) among informal caregivers of visually impaired (VI) patients who attend Italian VR centers, setting the bases for large-scale research.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>Four Italian VR centers were involved. Demographic data and IADL (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale) questionnaire to assess the degree of autonomy of VI patients were collected. Regarding the caregiver, the Italian validated version of the \u201cCaregiver Burden Inventory (CBI)\u201d was administered.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Fifty patients and their caregivers were included. The mean total CBI score was 23.6 points (SD 18.4), which is about the threshold for abnormal stress score. Moreover, 9 (18%) caregivers had scores \u226539, suggesting burn-out or mental disorder. The time-dependent (rho\u202f=\u202f0.88), developmental (rho\u202f=\u202f0.93), and physical burden (rho\u202f=\u202f0.87) domains demonstrated the strongest correlations with overall CBI score. Furthermore, each additional hour of caring increased the score by 1.07 points (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f0.004). No association was detected between total CBI score and other patient\u2019s characteristics, including dual sensory deficit (auditory and visual), as well as patient\u2019s IADL score.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>In this pilot study in VI patients attending VR services, about one half of caregivers of VI patients experienced stress, with 1 in 5\u20136 suffering from burn-out or mental health issues. Larger studies should assess both the outcome and the resources needed to screen for CB, with care integrated in the patient rehabilitation pathway.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1530172","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,6]],"date-time":"2025-06-06T04:11:06Z","timestamp":1749183066000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Evaluating the burden of caregivers of patients with visual impairment: a multicenter pilot study in Italian visual rehabilitation centers"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Gianni","family":"Virgili","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Francesco","family":"Ferron","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Federico","family":"Bartolomei","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ruth","family":"Van Nispen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eliana","family":"Costanzo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giovanni L.","family":"Ciaffoni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Emanuela","family":"Rellini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Simona","family":"Turco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marina","family":"Piepoli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Simona","family":"Di Pietro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Stefania","family":"Fortini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","article-title":"Vision Wro","year":"2019"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e144","DOI":"10.1016\/S2214-109X(20)30489-7","article-title":"Causes of blindness and vision impairment in 2020 and trends over 30 years, and prevalence of avoidable blindness in relation to VISION 2020: the right to sight: an analysis for the global burden of disease study","volume":"9","author":"Steinmetz","year":"2021","journal-title":"Lancet Glob Health"},{"key":"ref3","volume-title":"Dossier n\u00b0141: La figura del caregiver nell\u2019ordinamento italiano","year":"2021"},{"key":"ref4","volume-title":"Documentazione parlamentare. Normativa vigente e proposte di legge sulla figura del caregiver familiare","year":""},{"key":"ref5","volume-title":"Condizioni di salute e ricorso ai servizi sanitari in Italia e nell'Unione europea.","year":"2015"},{"key":"ref6","volume-title":"Condizioni di salute della popolazione anziana.","year":"2017"},{"key":"ref7","volume-title":"Conciliazione tra lavoro e famiglia.","year":"2018"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"653533","DOI":"10.3389\/fnagi.2021.653533","article-title":"Being the family caregiver of a patient with dementia during the coronavirus disease 2019 lockdown","volume":"13","author":"Zucca","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front Aging Neurosci"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1155\/2016\/4683427","article-title":"Burden and depression among caregivers of visually impaired patients in a Canadian population","volume":"2016","author":"Khan","year":"2016","journal-title":"Adv Med"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1585","DOI":"10.1167\/iovs.08-2744","article-title":"Family caregiver social problem-solving abilities and adjustment to caring for a relative with vision loss","volume":"50","author":"Bambara","year":"2009","journal-title":"Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"239","DOI":"10.1080\/13607863.2014.924477","article-title":"Predictors of psychological distress in caregivers of older persons with wet age-related macular degeneration","volume":"19","author":"Gopinath","year":"2015","journal-title":"Aging Ment Health"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"767","DOI":"10.1007\/s10792-016-0296-2","article-title":"Depression and burden among the caregivers of visually impaired patients: a systematic review","volume":"37","author":"Kuriakose","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int Ophthalmol"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101284","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dhjo.2022.101284","article-title":"Burden and depression among informal caregivers of visually impaired patients in Mexico","volume":"15","author":"Ruiz-Lozano","year":"2022","journal-title":"Disabil Health J"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"11206721231200376","DOI":"10.1177\/11206721231200376","article-title":"Use of electronic devices by people attending vision rehabilitation services in Italy: a study based on the device and aids registry (d.a.re)","volume":"34","author":"Bartolomei","year":"2023","journal-title":"Eur J Ophthalmol"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1942","DOI":"10.1177\/11206721221091367","article-title":"Low-vision rehabilitation in Italy: cross-sectional data from the device and aids registry (d.a.re)","volume":"32","author":"Bartolomei","year":"2022","journal-title":"Eur J Ophthalmol"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0308569","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0308569","article-title":"Utility values and electronic device use in low-vision people attending rehabilitation services: data from a nation-wide registry in Italy","volume":"19","author":"Virgili","year":"2024","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"798","DOI":"10.1093\/geront\/29.6.798","article-title":"Application of a multidimensional caregiver burden inventory","volume":"29","author":"Novak","year":"1989","journal-title":"Gerontologist"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1016","DOI":"10.3390\/healthcare12101016","article-title":"Self-assessment instruments for supporting family caregivers: an integrative review","volume":"12","author":"Domeisen Benedetti","year":"2024","journal-title":"Healthcare"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"21","DOI":"10.2190\/2DKF-292P-A53W-W0A8","article-title":"Exploring the caregiver burden inventory (CBI): further evidence for a multidimensional view of burden","volume":"43","author":"Caserta","year":"1996","journal-title":"Int J Aging Hum Dev"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"217","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph16020217","article-title":"Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the caregiver burden inventory","volume":"16","author":"V\u00e1zquez","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"ref21","author":"Smith","year":"2024"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"58","DOI":"10.5152\/pcp.2023.22549","article-title":"Early mental health foundations: a scoping review of reflective functioning in caregiver-child dyads","volume":"33","author":"Jin","year":"2023","journal-title":"Psychiatry Clin Psychopharmacol"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"712","DOI":"10.3390\/healthcare13070712","article-title":"Rehabilitation of visually impaired people: experiences and relevance according to the perception of family members and patients","volume":"13","author":"Fernandes","year":"2025","journal-title":"Healthcare (Basel)"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"229","DOI":"10.1177\/00914150221132167","article-title":"Quality of life and related outcomes among unpaid caregivers of older adults with visual impairment","volume":"97","author":"Beach","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int J Aging Hum Dev"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Public Health"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1530172\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,6]],"date-time":"2025-06-06T04:11:08Z","timestamp":1749183068000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1530172\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,6]]},"references-count":24,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1530172"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1530172","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-2565"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-2565","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,6]]},"article-number":"1530172"}}