Effect of caregiver burden on subjective well-being among caregivers of older patients with multiple chronic conditions in Chinese rural areas

Rural caregivers of older patients with multiple chronic conditions bear a substantial caregiver burden. Self-efficacy and family support may mediate the relationship between caregiver burden and subjective well-being; however, their specific pathways remain unclear. To examine the mediating roles of self-efficacy and family support in the association between caregiver burden and subjective well-being among caregivers of older patients with multiple chronic conditions in rural China. A cross-sectional survey. Between August and September 2022, face-to-face structured questionnaires were administered to caregivers. Data were collected on demographics, clinical information, caregiver burden, subjective well-being, self-efficacy, and family support. Hayes's PROCESS macro was used to conduct parallel mediation analysis. Caregiver burden was negatively correlated with subjective well-being, self-efficacy, and family support (each P < 0.05). Subjective well-being was positively correlated with self-efficacy ( r = 0.300, P < 0.01) and family support ( r = 0.388, P < 0.01). Self-efficacy was also positively correlated with family support ( r = 0.258, P < 0.01). Mediation analysis indicated that self-efficacy and family support were parallel mediators of the relationship between caregiver burden and subjective well-being, accounting for 26.15 % and 73.85 % of the total indirect effect, respectively. Self-efficacy and family support significantly mediated the relationship between caregiver burden and subjective well-being. Interventions aimed at reducing caregiver burden, enhancing self-efficacy, and strengthening family support may improve the subjective well-being of caregivers of older patients with multiple chronic conditions in Chinese rural areas.