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Published in: Quality of Life Research 2/2021

Open Access 01-02-2021 | Care

Validation of the Hungarian version of the CarerQol instrument in informal caregivers: results from a cross-sectional survey among the general population in Hungary

Authors: Petra Baji, Werner B. F. Brouwer, Job van Exel, Dominik Golicki, Valentina Prevolnik Rupel, Zsombor Zrubka, László Gulácsi, Valentin Brodszky, Fanni Rencz, Márta Péntek

Published in: Quality of Life Research | Issue 2/2021

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Abstract

Purpose

The CarerQol instrument has been designed and validated as an instrument able to measure both the positive and the negative impacts of caregiving on the quality of life of informal caregivers (CarerQol-7D), as well as their general happiness (CarerQol-VAS). The aim of this study was to assess the construct validity of the CarerQol in the Hungarian context.

Methods

The CarerQol was translated into Hungarian. Subsequently, in a cross-sectional online survey, representative for the general Hungarian population (N = 1000), informal caregivers were identified (N = 149, female 51.2%, mean age 53.2). Clinical, convergent and discriminant validity of the CarerQol were evaluated in relation to the caregivers’ and care recipients’ EQ-5D-5L health status, and caregiving situation characteristics.

Results

Average CarerQol-7D and CarerQol-VAS scores were 76.0 (SD 16.2) and 6.8 (SD 2.3), respectively. CarerQol-7D and CarerQol-VAS scores were significantly correlated with caregiving time (r = − 0.257; − 0.212), caregivers’ EQ-5D-5L scores (r = 0.453; 0.326) and the CarerQol-7D also with care recipients’ EQ-5D-5L scores (r = 0.247). CarerQol-7D scores differed significantly with relevant caregiving characteristics (e.g. nature and severity of care recipients’ health status, sharing household) and both the CarerQol-7D and CarerQol-VAS with the overall care experience.

Conclusion

Our findings confirmed the validity of the Hungarian language version of the CarerQol and support the cross-cultural validity of the instrument. CarerQol-7D scores performed better in distinguishing caregiving situation characteristics than the general happiness measure CarerQol-VAS. Care recipients’ health status was only weakly associated with informal caregivers’ care-related quality of life and happiness. Caregivers’ own health and caregiving circumstances were more strongly associated with these scores.
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Metadata
Title
Validation of the Hungarian version of the CarerQol instrument in informal caregivers: results from a cross-sectional survey among the general population in Hungary
Authors
Petra Baji
Werner B. F. Brouwer
Job van Exel
Dominik Golicki
Valentina Prevolnik Rupel
Zsombor Zrubka
László Gulácsi
Valentin Brodszky
Fanni Rencz
Márta Péntek
Publication date
01-02-2021
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Keyword
Care
Published in
Quality of Life Research / Issue 2/2021
Print ISSN: 0962-9343
Electronic ISSN: 1573-2649
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-020-02662-8

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