The effect of the burden on the liver transplant patients'caregivers on daytime sleepiness

The Effect Of The Burden On The Liver Transplant Patients' Caregivers On Day Sleepiness PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to determine the burden on caregivers of patients who have had liver transplants‟ and how it affects caregiver‟s daytime sleepiness. Materials and Method: The study was carried out with rational screening research model. The participants of the study consist of the caregivers of 1239 patients who had liver transplantation at least 6 months ago at the Liver Transplantation Institute of Turgut Ozal Medical Center. The research was carried out in the outpatient clinic of the Liver Transplantation Institute and services in Turgut Özal Medical Center on the date between January and june in2019. The sample of the study consists of 348 caregivers with 0.95% representativeness with 0.05 error in power analysis, 0.95 confidence interval and 3 effect sizes. To collect the data, the Zarit Burden Interview, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and The Participant Identification Form, which was developed by the researcher, were used. Percentage distribution, mean, ANOVA, independent samples t test, chi-square test, pearson correlation and regretion analysis were used. The results were evaluated at 95% confidence interval and at the significance level of 0.05. Results: The mean score of the Zarit Burden Interview of the caregivers of the liver transplant individuals was evaluated ats 34.33 ± 14.03 and the average score of the Epworth Sleepiness scale was evaluated as 6.63 ± 4.54. According to the findings, it was found that the care burden of caregivers was severe and there was a middle relationship between care burden and daytime sleepiness (p <0.01, r = 0.30). It was found that the statistical difference between some descriptive characteristics of caregivers and Zarit Care Burden Scale (p <0.05) was significant, but the statistical difference between the descriptive characteristics of liver transplanted individuals was not significant (p> 0.05). Conclusion: In the study, it was found that the care burden of caregivers of liver transplanted individuals affected daytime sleepiness. Key Words: Liver Transplantation, Caregiver burden, Zarit Burden Interview, Epworth Sleepiness scale