The Relationship Between Care Burden of Informal Caregivers and Quality of Life in Hemodialysis Pa-tients: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: In addition to its impact on the quality of care provided by caregivers, the care burden of informal care-givers also negatively affects the quality of life in patients. The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the relationship between the care burden of informal caregivers and the quality of life in hemodialysis patients. Materials and Methods: This descriptive correlational study was conducted on 259 couples (hemodialysis patients and their care-givers) in all the hemodialysis centers of Bushehr Province, Iran (2021) using the census method. The data collection instruments were a demographic information form for the patients and caregivers, the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form and the Caregiver Burden Inventory. Data were analyzed in SPSS 19.0 using descriptive and analytical statistics. P0.05). Among the available variables, hours of care were an inverse predictor (P=0.019) and patient’s literacy (P<0.05) a direct predictor of patients' quality of life. Conclusion: These results can be used to design educational and counseling programs in order to increase the patients’ and caregivers’ knowledge and awareness. By empowering hemodialysis patients in their self-care func-tions, the caregivers' care hours can be reduced and the physical and mental health of the caregivers can thus be improved, thereby also causing an enhanced quality of life for the patients.

Keywords

• care burden
• quality of life
• hemodialysis
• chronic kidney failure
• informal caregivers