Examining the effect of care burden of parents whose child has a metabolic problem on the perceived social support and life quality

Aim: The study was conducted to examine the effects of care burden of parents whose child has a metabolic problem on of perceived social support and quality of life. Material and Method: This study was carried out as a descriptive-relational study with 90 children and their parents who came to endocrine department of the Gazi Yaşargil Training and Research Hospital, Health Sciences University between September, 2017 and July, 2018. Zarit Maintenance Load Scale, Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale and Quality of Life Scale were used. Numbers, mean, percantage, student t test, kruskal wallis and correlation were used in evaluation of the data. Results: Participating in the study the mean age of the parents was 30.21 ± 6.10. 77.8% were mothers of children, 66.7% were related marriages, 40% were primary school graduates and 83.3% were not working; 52.2% of the children were females and were diagnosed with 32.2% with phenylketonuria and 21.1% with biotinase deficiency. The average score care burden of the parents was 45.17 ± 9.08, the quality of life score was 20.51 ± 3.35, the perceived social support score was 40.20 ± 8.55. It has been found that there is a negative relationship between care burdeof the parents and quality of life, and care burden and perceived social support. It has been found that there is a negative relationship between the quality of life of the parents and the perceived social support. Conclusion: It was determined that there was a significant relationship between care burden, quality of life and perceived social support, as the level of perceived social support of parents increased, the burden of care decreased and life quality increased.