The evaluation of disease awareness, caregiver burden, and workday loss in caregivers of COPD patients

Authors: AYŞE BAHA, NURDAN KÖKTÜRK, BURCU ÖZTÜRK ŞAHİN, ELİF YILDIRIM, İPEK ÖZMEN, ALEV GÜRGÜN, AYŞE FÜSUN TOPÇU, EVRİM EYLEM AKPINAR, FUNDA ELMAS UYSAL, HADİCE SELİMOĞLU ŞEN, NALAN OGAN, YEŞİM ÖNDER, ÖMER TAMER DOĞAN, MEHMET POLATLI, ZÜLEYHA BİNGÖL, TURHAN ECE, EDA ÇELİK, METİN AKGÜN, EYLEM SERCAN ÖZGÜR, SİBEL NAYCI, İREM ŞERİFOĞLU, CAN ATEŞ

Abstract: Background/aim: Our aim is to determine the caregiver burden of chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) patient's caregivers, and to determine whether there is a workday loss. Materials and methods: 252 COPD patients and their caregivers were included. Disease information of the patients were recorded and a questionnaire was applied. Socio-demographic characteristics of the caregivers were recorded and a questionnaire consisting of 24 questions including COPD disease, treatment and loss of working days, and the Zarit Scale were used. Results: 128(50.8%) of the patients according to GOLD were group-D, 97(38.5%) of the patient's relatives were working, 62(24.7%) were not able to go to work for 1-14 days, and 125(57.1%) spent outside the home from 1-14 nights, because those accompanied to patients. In univariate analysis were detected modified medical research council (mMRC) (p < 0.001), CAT (p < 0.001), the number of comorbidities of patients (p = 0.027), forced expiratory volume in 1 FEV1cc (p = 0.009), FEV1% (p < 0.001), the presence of long term oxygen therapy (LTOT), and the number of comorbidities of the patient's relatives (p = 0.06) increased the care load. In multiple linear regression analysis, age (p = 0.03), COPD assessment test (CAT) score (p = 0.001), FEV1% (<0.068) and the number of comorbidities of patients (p = 0.01) and the number of comorbidities of caregivers (p = 0.003) increased the caregiving burden. Conclusion: In COPD increases caregiving burden. This burden is greater in symptomatic patients and when comorbidities are present. Psychosocial and legal regulations should be investigated and solutions should be produced for the caregivers of COPD patients.

Keywords: Burden,caregiver,COPD

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