Purpose: The aim of this study was to review studies on factors related to dementia caregiver burden (CB) in Korea.
Methods: By a literature search of five major health and social science databases including Pubmed, a total of
45 quantitative studies published between 2001 and 2013 were identified. A comprehensive review was conducted
guided by the Pearline’s Stress Process Model. Results: All the studies were cross-sectional studies using
convenience sampling methodology and multi-variate regression analyses was conducted in only 15 studies.
Almost three fourth of the studies adopted Zarit’s Burden Index as the instrument to measure CB. Activities of
daily living, cognitive factors including cognitive impairment and behavioral problems, and caregiver‘s self-rated
health were the factors examined, and which were negatively associated with CB. Social support, family function,
and family relationship were also all negatively associated with CB, but the measures of these independent variables
varied across studies. No sociodemographic factors of dementia patients were associated with CB, but women
caregivers reported higher CB than their men. Conclusion: More methodologically rigorous studies on dementia
CB in Korea are necessary. In particular, further investigations on the impact of family role and caregiving context
on CB are recommended.