Determinants of care burden in caregivers of patients hospitalized in palliative care service: spiritual well-being, hope and perceived social support level

This study was conducted to determine the level of care burden, spiritual well-being, hope and perceived social support in the caregivers of patients hospitalized in the palliative care unit; to evaluate the relationship between care burden and spiritual well-being, hope and perceived social support; and to examine the factors affecting care burden. This research is a descriptive and correlational study. This research was conducted on the caregivers of patients hospitalized in the Palliative Care Service of Ankara Etlik City Hospital Medical Observation Clinic between 01 March and 30 September 2024. The study sample consists of a total of 181 caregivers. The data of the study were collected using the Personal Information Form, Zarit Care Burden Scale, Spiritual Well-being Scale, Herth Hope Scale, and Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale. Number, percentage, mean and standard deviation, t test in independent groups, Oneway ANOVA test, Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis were used in the evaluation of the data. The level of statistical significance was accepted as p <0.05. It was determined that the average age of the caregivers was 42.97±12.14 and 74.6% were female. The caregiver's care burden mean score was 32.98±13.87. A negative and highly significant relationship was found between the caregiver's care burden and spiritual well-being, hope and perceived social support (p<0.05). It was determined that the caregiver's gender (β=0.664), marital status (β=0.715), educational status (β=0.289), place of residence (β=0.451), degree of closeness (β=0.346), patient's marital status (β=0.715), patient's educational status (β=0.663), patient's dependency level (β=0.488), spiritual well-being (β=0.602), hope (β=0.398) and perceived social support level (β=0.556) were significant predictors of caregiver's care burden. It was found that these variables explained 69.3% of the change in care burden (Adjusted R2= 0.693). As a result, the care burden of caregivers is at a moderate level. The fact that the caregiver is married, literate, and fully dependent; that the caregiver is female, married, a primary school graduate, living in the district, and the spouse of the patient; the spiritual well-being, hope, and perceived social support level of the caregiver are important predictors of the care burden. In line with these results, it is recommended that programs such as psychosocial and spiritual support and strengthening hope be planned, which can contribute to reducing the care burden, by taking into account the individual characteristics of the caregiver. Keywords: Caregiver; Caregiver burden; Spiritual well-being; Hope and Perceived social support