Determination of caregiver burden and sleep quality of patients with tracheostomy and nasogastric tube in the palliative care clinic

Purpose: This study was conducted to determine the care burden and sleep quality of caregivers of patients with tracheostomy and nasogastric tube in the palliative care clinic. Material and Method: The data of this descriptive study were conducted using the face-to-face interview technique with the caregivers of patients with nasogastric tubes and tracheostomies in the Palliative Care Clinic of Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University Mengücek Gazi Training and Research Hospital between October 2023 and June 2024. No sample selection was made in this study, and 100 caregivers who met the criteria of the study and volunteered to participate in the study were included. The research data were collected using the Descriptive Characteristics Form, "Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale" and "Pıttsburg Sleep Quality Index". The data were evaluated with number, percentage, mean, standard deviation, cronbach's alpha, t test in independent groups, one way-ANOVA and correlation analyzes. Findings: The mean age of the caregivers included in the study was 45.73±12.03, 81% were female, 78% were married and 59% stated that they had provided care to patients for 6 months or more. The caregivers received a total score of 30.07±12.78 from the "Zarit Caregiving Burden Scale" and a total score of 9.65±3.36 from the "Pittsburgh Sleep Quality" Scale. According to the scale cut-off points, 42% of the participants had a light caregiver burden, and there was no statistically significant relationship between the total score of the Zarit Caregiving Burden Scale and the total score of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Scale (p>0.05). Conclusion: As a result of the study, it was determined that caregivers had a light care burden and poor sleep quality. Although there was no relationship between care burden and sleep quality, indirect effects between these two variables should be investigated in future studies and a larger sample should be selected.