Zarit Caregiver Survey
Zarit Burden Interview
One of the most widely used self-report measures of the burden experienced by informal caregivers.
At a Glance
- Population
- Informal/family caregivers (originally of people with dementia; now used across many conditions)
- Number of Items
- 22 items (short forms are also published)
- Instrument Type
- PROM (completed by the caregiver, not the patient)
- Digital Administration Availability
- Suitable for self-report electronic administration
- Automated Scoring Availability
- Yes — simple sum score with published severity bands
- Suitable Use Settings
- Caregiver support services, dementia and chronic illness care, and research
About the Instrument
Developed by Steven Zarit and colleagues in the early 1980s, the Zarit Burden Interview is the most widely used measure of caregiver burden internationally and is distributed via Mapi Research Trust.
What It Measures
The caregiver’s own perceived burden — health, psychological wellbeing, finances, social life, and the caregiving relationship.
Digital Administration
Delivered electronically through the PROMinsight platform as part of a digital patient-reported outcomes workflow.
Scoring / Reporting
Items are each scored 0–4 and summed to a total score, with published bands indicating little to severe burden.
Use in Research / Clinical Care / Clinical Trials
Used across dementia, stroke, cancer, and chronic illness caregiving research as the standard caregiver burden measure.
Enquire About This Instrument
Interested in using the Zarit Caregiver Survey in your research, clinical programme or study? Contact PROMinsight to discuss access.
Enquire About This Instrument