Caregiving Preparedness and Burden of Caregivers of Persons Receiving Hemodialysis

Abstract Background: Caregivers of persons receiving hemodialysis require close and continuous assistance, as they face challenges in physical, emotional, psychological, social, and economic aspects, resulting in a significant caregiving burden. Methodology: This descriptive correlational study aimed to explore the caregivers burden and caregiving preparedness of caregivers for persons receiving hemodialysis, and to examine the relationship between caregiving preparedness and caregivers burden. A total of 144 caregivers were purposively selected from those providing care to persons receiving hemodialysis at Guangxi Hospital, People's Republic of China. Data were collected using questionnaires, which included a general information form of the caregivers, a caregiving preparedness assessment tool, and a caregiver burden assessment tool. Descriptive statistics and Spearman's correlation coefficient were used for data analysis. Results: The results revealed that caregivers experienced a relatively high caregiver burden (X̅ = 50.25, SD = 17.65). The caregiving burden in specific aspects were as follows: relationship burden (X̅ = 13.33, SD = 5.45), emotional burden (X̅ = 14.97, SD = 6.07), social and family life burden (X̅ = 7.67, SD = 4.37), financial burden (X̅ = 2.91, SD = 1.29), and loss of control over one’s own life (X̅ = 11.38, SD = 3.34). Caregiving preparedness was found to be low (X̅ = 14.21, SD = 5.24). Additionally, a moderate negative correlation was found between caregiving preparedness and overall caregiving burden (r = -0.474, p < 0.01). Moderate negative correlations were also found between caregiving preparedness and specific aspects of caregiving burden: relationship burden (r = -0.373, p < 0.01), emotional burden (r = -0.444, p < 0.01), social and family life burden (r = -0.430, p < 0.01), financial burden (r = -0.427, p < 0.01), and loss of control over one’s own life (r = -0.361, p < 0.01). Conclusion: This study provides fundamental information for nurses to better understand and prepare caregivers in order to reduce the caregiving burden for persons receiving hemodialysis.