An analysis of caregiver burden of patients with hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis

Since caregivers have roles and responsibilities in all phases from the diagnosis of the disease to discharge and homecare, their care burdens increase. The problems experienced by caregivers, whose care burden increase and accordingly whose life quality is deteriorated, complicate the treatment-receiving patient's adaptation to the disease. This study was performed to determine the burden to primary caregivers of patients undergoing dialysis. This descriptive study was conducted with the family caregivers of 114 patients from Erzurum Ataturk University's Medical Faculty Nephrology Department: 54 were relatives of patients receiving hemodialysis and 60 were relatives of patients receiving peritoneal dialysis during August to December 2014. The percentage of the patients with low levels of caregiver burden is 13% in the hemodialysis group, while it is 35% in the peritoneal dialysis group. These findings are statistically significant. To conclude, chronic diseases affect not only patients, but also their relatives who care for them. Nursing care needs to include both patients and their relatives and support them. It is hoped that this study will guide nursing care in this direction.