Investigation of the relationship between perceived social support and burden of caregivers of individuals with parkinsons disease

Aim: The aim was investigation of relationship between perceived social support and burden of Caregivers of individuals with Parkinson's Disease.Method: The study was conducted at Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Outpatient Clinics in two university hospitals from May to October 2011. Sample of the study consisted of 212 patients who met the inclusion criteria. The Caregiver Burden Inventory, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Modified Hoehn and Yahr Scale were used as data collection tools. The relationship between Multidimensional Perceived Social Support score and the Caregiver Burden Inventory scores were examined using Pearson's correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis.Results: It was determined that there was a moderately, negative and statistically significant correlation between the total scores of Caregiver Burden and total scores of Perceived Social Support (r: -.45, p<.001, Table 4). It was found that caregivers of individuals with Parkinson's disease received the maximum support from family among the types of perceived social support, support from friends was second sequence and finally support from individuals that were out of friends and family was the third sequence.Conclusion: It is thought that the nurse can reduce the burden of caregiver through awareness of the existing sources of social support for the individual and the development of resources of social support using advisory role.