Factors affecting the caregiver burden of family members to palliative care patients: A descriptive and cross-sectional study

ObjectivesMany factors affect caregiver burden. Limited studies exist on the effect of social support and fatigue on family caregivers. This study aims to explore the impact of fatigue and social support on the burden experienced by family caregivers of palliative care patients.MethodsThe study was conducted with 80 family caregivers. Data were collected using the Piper Fatigue Scale, the Burden Interview, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Regression analysis was used to evaluate the data.ResultsThe regression analysis revealed that higher scores on the MSPSS were significantly associated with lower Burden Interview scores (p < 0.05). Conversely, higher PFS scores were significantly correlated with increased Burden Interview scores (p < 0.05).DiscussionBoth fatigue and social support play a critical role in shaping the caregiving burden experienced by family caregivers. Interventions aimed at reducing caregiver fatigue and enhancing social support may help alleviate this burden.