Background and Purpose: Burden of care of patients undergoing renal replacement therapies is principally borne by the family. Since renal replacement therapies has got a distinctive nature, the burden of care on family caregivers is not the same. This burden of care can reduce the quality of taking care of patients, cause various complications and increase pressure on healthcare system. Therefore, the present study intended to determine and compare the burden of care on the family caregivers of patients undergoing hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and kidney transplant. Materials and Methods: The present research was a descriptive-comparative study on 210 family caregivers of patients undergoing hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and kidney transplant in the hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2016. Simple sampling method was performed and data were collected using demographic indormation questionnaire and Novak’s and Guest Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI). Then, data were analyzed by performing the statistical tests of one-way ANOVA, T-independent test, Spearman Correlation Coefficient and Pearson Correlation Coefficient in SPSS18 statistical software.
Results: the mean caregiver burden in terms of time-dependent, developmental and physical and burdens as well as the overall score of burden of care was higher on the family caregivers of patients undergoing hemodialysis and lower on the family caregivers of patients undergoing kidney transplant than other renal replacement therapies. However, not any statistically significant difference was observed between the therapy groups of by moderating the confounder variables of caregiver’s age, patient’s age, duration of treatment, and dependency of the patient on the caregiver (P˃0.05). There was not any statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of social and emotional burdens (P˃0.05). The overall caregiver burden had a direct and positive relationship with caregiver’s age, patient’s age, duration of treatment, and dependency of the patient on the caregiver (P˂0.05) while it had a negative relationship with the educational level of caregiver. There was not any statistically significant difference between the total score of burden of care on male and female caregivers; the burden score was lower on employee caregivers and higher on spouse caregivers than other caregivers. However, not any statistically significant difference between them by moderating the confounder variable of caregiver age and educational level (P˃0.05).
Conclusion: The burden of care was higher on the family caregivers of patients undergoing renal replacement therapies esp. hemodialysis, caregivers of elder patients, caregivers of patients undergoing long-term treatment, elder caregivers and spouse caregivers in terms of time-dependent, developmental, physical, social and emotional burdens. Therefore, these caregivers should be supported by the members of medical treatment team.
