Evaluation of the relationship between care burden and health anxiety in caregivers of palliative care patients

Indroduction and Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate whether there is a relationship between the burden of care and health anxiety, and the socio-demographic characteristics that influence them, based on the knowledge that being constantly with a palliative care patient can increase concerns and questions about the health of care providers. Identifying this situation can provide an opportunity to foresee two-sided health risks and make appropriate interventions. Materials and Methods: This research was planned as a cross-sectional and prospective quantitative study, and was carried out between 08/07/2022 and 08/09/2022 at the Hitit University Erol Olçok Education Research Hospital Palliative Care Center. The socio-demographic data, care burden scale, and health anxiety scale were applied to the primary caregivers of the patients being followed at the center. Results: In the caregivers of the patients followed up in the palliative care center, the total health anxiety score was 18.79±7.67, and the average score of the caregiver burden scale was 37.70±16.50. There was a statistically significant relationship between health anxiety level and caregiving burden levels. (r = 0.372; p <0.01) According to the results of the regression analysis, the effect of health anxiety level on caregiving burden was statistically significant. (B = 0.647; p <0.01) It was determined that receiving help in caregiving decreased the care burden and health anxiety (B =-15.006; p <0.001). The relationship between satisfaction with caregiving and care burden is negative and statistically significant (p <0.05), but the relationship between health anxiety and satisfaction with caregiving is not statistically significant in the multivariate analysis (p>0.05). Although literate individuals have higher levels of health anxiety (p <0.05), the level of education does not have a statistically significant effect on health anxiety when analyzed using a correlation analysis (p> 0.05). Conclusion: Caregivers at the palliative care center had moderate care burden and increased health anxiety. It was found that care burden and health anxiety are related and that receiving help with caregiving reduces care burden and health anxiety. Satisfaction with caregiving is negatively related to care burden, but there is no significant relationship with health anxiety. Despite having higher levels of health anxiety, education levels did not have a significant effect on health anxiety in literate individuals. Keywords: palliative care, caregiver, health anxiety, caregiver burden