The Burden of Caregivers of Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis

Introduction: There is a scarcity of literature about the burden of hemodialysis patients’ caregivers. Caregivers often receive little attention, and the primary focus is always on the patients. Frequent hospitalizations and factors associated with the disease can lead to depression and reduce the caregiver’s quality of life. Objective: The study aimed to determine the burden of caregivers of patients undergoing hemodialysis at a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in northern India. A total of 110 caregivers who were providing care to their patients for more than 3 months were selected by purposive sampling method. The study data were collected by self-prepared demographic questionnaire to collect basic information regarding patients and caregivers, and the level of burden was assessed by a revised Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) standardized on a 5-point scale. Descriptive and inferential (the Chi-square and Fisher exact test, 1-way ANOVA test) statistics were used for data analysis. Results: The mean±SD age of caregivers was 37±13 years. Nearly half of caregivers, 50 (45.46%), reported mild to moderately burdened, while 15 (13.63%) caregivers had moderate to severely burdened. The caregivers were mild to moderately burdened as the mean burden score was 25±12. There was no significant association between the levels of burden scores and selected sociodemographic variables of the participants. Conclusion: It was found that caregivers of hemodialysis patients experienced moderate burden while caring and being with the patient, which may alter their health and quality of life.