Examination of mental health status and care burden of caregivers of patients with pressure ulcers

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the mental health status and caregiving burden of caregivers of patients with pressure ulcers, and to determine whether these variables differ according to the participants' sociodemographic characteristics and care-related factors. In addition, it is intended to identify potential factors and approaches that may contribute to improving caregivers' health and the quality of care. Materials and Methods: This study is a single-center, cross-sectional, descriptive survey conducted to evaluate the mental health status and caregiving burden of caregivers of patients with pressure ulcers. The study population consisted of caregivers aged 18 years and older who were providing care for patients with pressure ulcers registered at Ordu University Education and Research Hospital. The Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale was used to assess the level of caregiving burden, and the Beck Depression Inventory was applied to evaluate the mental health status of the participants. All eligible and volunteer participants who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. The data obtained were analyzed using the R statistical software (version 4.4.1). A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant for all analyses. Results: The mean age of the caregivers participating in the study was 51.91 ± 11.55 years. The majority of the participants were female, in the 45–59 age group, married, and unemployed. When the caregiving burden level was evaluated using the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale, the median score was found to be 22.5. It was found that 45.3% of the caregivers had no caregiving burden, 34.9% had a mild burden, 17.9% had a moderate burden, and 1.9% had a severe caregiving burden. When the mental health status was evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory, the median score was found to be 7. Among the participants, 61.3% had minimal or no depressive symptoms, 17% had mild, 17% had moderate, and 4.7% had severe depression. A strong positive and statistically significant correlation was found between the Beck Depression Inventory and the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale scores (Spearman's correlation coefficient r = 0.614, p < 0.001). This indicates that as the caregiving burden increased, caregivers' mental health deteriorated. Caregivers who were unemployed, had low income, cared for patients with gluteal pressure ulcers, or whose patients had larger and more advanced-stage ulcers, as well as those providing care alone, providing continuous regular care, or whose patients had a history of hospitalization for pressure ulcers, were found to have significantly higher caregiving burden scores (p < 0.05). Similarly, caregivers who were older, had lower educational levels, were unemployed, had insufficient income, or provided continuous and regular care, as well as caregivers of patients with advanced-stage pressure ulcers and those whose patients had a history of hospitalization due to pressure ulcers, were found to have significantly higher levels of depression (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that, in addition to the location, stage, and size of pressure injuries, other factors also significantly affect caregiver burden and are associated with caregivers' psychological well-being. These results highlight the importance of incorporating psychological support into holistic care approaches. This study contributes to the limited literature on this topic and provides a foundation of scientific data for interdisciplinary research. The obtained results can support evidence-based decision-making in planning care services and serve as a basis for future applied research in this field. Key word: Pressure Ulcer, Caregiver Burden, Mental Health, Family Medicine