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Objective: To assess usability and acceptability of iSupport-Brasil (iSupport-BR) to virtually support family caregivers of people who have dementia. Materials and methods: In the first stage, nine caregivers/former caregivers assessed the interface of the platform that hosts iSupport-BR. In the second stage, 10 caregivers assessed acceptability of the platform and answered the System Usability Scale (SUS), which varies from 0 to 100 points. A descriptive analysis of the quantitative data was performed, as well as a thematic analysis on the open questions. All the ethical aspects were respected. Results: The results of the first stage indicated a user-friendly interface of the system and relevant content of the program, with 55.6 and 77.8% of the participants assigning the maximum grade to these questions, respectively. Of the five possible points, the system's mean score was 3.7. In Stage 2, 80% of the caregivers rated the program as very useful and 100% would recommend it to other caregivers. Perception of the program's usability by the SUS scale was excellent (M = 86.5 ± 11.5). Conclusion: This research allowed elaborating the final version of iSupport-BR, considering usability and acceptability of the platform and the program for computers/notebooks, being a pioneer in evaluating it for use in smartphones. Future research studies will have to assess the effects of iSupport-BR on the caregivers' mental health.

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Resumo A Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI) avalia a sobrecarga de cuidadores de idosos. Porém, ainda carece de evidências de validade para o contexto brasileiro, com cuidadores de idades variadas. Neste estudo, foram verificadas evidências de validade do ZBI -interna e baseadas nas relações com qualidade de vida e depressão-. No Estudo 1, participaram 285 cuidadores de idosos com idades entre 18 e 87 anos, que responderam à ZBI. No Estudo 2, 205 dos cuidadores do Estudo 1 também responderam ao Inventário de Depressão de Beck e à Escala de Qualidade de Vida. No Estudo 1, foram testados três modelos por meio de uma análise fatorial confirmatoria e o alfa de Cronbach. No Estudo 2, foram medidas correlações de escores na ZBI com escores de depressão e qualidade de vida. O modelo de três fatores se mostrou o mais adequado, apresentando bons índices de consistência interna. Foram observadas correlações negativas entre a ZBI e qualidade de vida e positivas com depressão. Portanto, este estudo contribuiu para o processo de validação da ZBI no Brasil, com cuidadores de faixa etária ampla.

Resumen La Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI) evalúa la sobrecarga de cuidadores de ancianos. Sin embargo, todavía carece de validez para el contexto brasileño, con cuidadores de varias edades. En este estudio, se han analizado evidencias de validez de la ZBI -interna y basadas en las relaciones de calidad de vida y depresión-. En el estudio 1, participaron 285 cuidadores de ancianos, entre 18 y 87 años, que contestaron la ZBI. En el estudio dos, 205 cuidadores del estudio 1 también han contestado el Inventario de Depresión de Beck y la Escala de Calidad de Vida. En el estudio 1, se probaron tres modelos a través de un análisis factorial confirmatorio y a través del alfa de Cronbach. En el estudio 2, se han medido correlaciones de puntajes en la ZBI con puntajes de depresión y calidad de vida. El modelo de tres factores se demostró más adecuado, presentando buenos índices de consistencia interna. Se observaron correlaciones negativas entre la ZBI y calidad de vida, y positivas con depresión. Por lo tanto, este estudio contribuyó al proceso de validación de la ZBI en Brasil, con los cuidadores de una amplia franja de edad.

Abstract The Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI) is used to assess burden among caregivers of the elderly. However, greater evidence is needed to assess the validity of this instrument when used in the Brazilian context, with caregivers of different ages. In this paper, we examined evidence of internal validity, as well as examining how caregiver burden is related to quality of life and depression. In Study 1, 285 caregivers of elderly people between the ages of 18 and 87 responded to the ZBI. In Study 2, 205 of the caregivers also responded to the Beck Depression Inventory and the Quality of Life Scale. In Study 1, three models were tested using a confirmatory factorial analysis and Cronbach's alpha. In Study 2, correlations were tested between ZBI scores and scores for depression and quality of life. The three-factor model was the most adequate, presenting good indices of internal consistency. The ZBI scores were negatively correlated with quality of life and positively correlated with depression. This study contributes to the validation of the ZBI for use in Brazil, using a sample of caregivers with a wide range of ages.