Status quo of burden on family caregivers of elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and its influencing factors

Abstract

Objective To explore burden on family caregivers of elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to discuss the influencing factors of caregiver burden. Methods Totally 190 family caregivers of elderly COPD patients treated in a Class III Grade A hospital in a city between January and December 2017 were selected by convenient sampling. The caregiver burden of these elderly COPD patients were investigated with the general information questionnaire, Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) and Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) . Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors to caregiver burden. Results The total score of caregiver burden of elderly COPD patients was (52.32±7.42) , and the total score of social support was (25.23±5.93) . Multiple linear regression analysis showed that age, occupation, time of daily care, medical service availability and social support were the main influencing factors to caregiver burden (P<0.05) . Conclusions The caregiver burden of elderly COPD patients is at a medium level and is affected by multiple factors. More disease and nursing care related knowledge and information should be provided to the caregivers based on their actual conditions so as to improve the social support for caregivers as well as the caregivers' physiological and mental health and their quality of life. Key words: Aged; Pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive; Family caregivers; Burden; Influencing factors