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Abstract
Background: The increasing population of older adults worldwide has heightened the demand for caregiving, especially in tertiary healthcare settings. Caregivers, both formal and informal,
face significant physical, emotional, and financial challenges. These burdens can negatively impact their quality of life (QoL) and increase the risk of depression, especially when caring for
hospitalized older adults with complex needs. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between care burden, QoL, and depression among caregivers in a tertiary health institution.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 80 primary caregivers of hospitalized older adults at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. Participants were
selected using convenience sampling and completed structured questionnaires, including the Caregiver Strain Index (CSI) to measure caregiver burden and the WHOQOL-HIV BREF to
assess quality of life across multiple domains. Descriptive statistics summarized sociodemographic variables, while Spearman’s rho analysis assessed the relationships between care burden, QoL, and depression. Data were analysed using SPSS version 27, with significance set at p < 0.05.
Results: Of the 80 participants, 73.8% were female, and 61.3% were married. The mean age was 37.56 ± 11.36 years. The mean Caregiver Strain Index (CSI) score was 10.35 ± 1.65 out of a
maximum obtainable score of 13, indicating a high level of strain. QoL scores varied across domains, with the psychological health domain scoring the lowest (14.48 ± 2.37) and the level of
independence domain scoring the highest (15.38 ± 2.97). Spearman’s rho analysis revealed a negative correlation (rho =-0.027, p = 0.814) between care burden and total QoL and a negative but non-significant correlation (rho =-0.196, p = 0.081) between care burden and psychological health.
Conclusion: Caregivers of hospitalized older adults experience moderate levels of care burden, which influence specific domains of their quality of life, such as social relationships and
psychological health. However, no statistically significant relationships were found between care burden, overall QoL, and depression in this study. These findings suggest that while caregiving
presents challenges, coping mechanisms like spirituality may mitigate its negative impacts.
Targeted interventions are needed to enhance caregiver support systems, focusing on mental health, stress management, and social connections to improve caregivers’ overall well-being and quality of life.
Keywords: Care burden, quality of life, depression, caregivers, hospitalized older adults.
face significant physical, emotional, and financial challenges. These burdens can negatively impact their quality of life (QoL) and increase the risk of depression, especially when caring for
hospitalized older adults with complex needs. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between care burden, QoL, and depression among caregivers in a tertiary health institution.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 80 primary caregivers of hospitalized older adults at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. Participants were
selected using convenience sampling and completed structured questionnaires, including the Caregiver Strain Index (CSI) to measure caregiver burden and the WHOQOL-HIV BREF to
assess quality of life across multiple domains. Descriptive statistics summarized sociodemographic variables, while Spearman’s rho analysis assessed the relationships between care burden, QoL, and depression. Data were analysed using SPSS version 27, with significance set at p < 0.05.
Results: Of the 80 participants, 73.8% were female, and 61.3% were married. The mean age was 37.56 ± 11.36 years. The mean Caregiver Strain Index (CSI) score was 10.35 ± 1.65 out of a
maximum obtainable score of 13, indicating a high level of strain. QoL scores varied across domains, with the psychological health domain scoring the lowest (14.48 ± 2.37) and the level of
independence domain scoring the highest (15.38 ± 2.97). Spearman’s rho analysis revealed a negative correlation (rho =-0.027, p = 0.814) between care burden and total QoL and a negative but non-significant correlation (rho =-0.196, p = 0.081) between care burden and psychological health.
Conclusion: Caregivers of hospitalized older adults experience moderate levels of care burden, which influence specific domains of their quality of life, such as social relationships and
psychological health. However, no statistically significant relationships were found between care burden, overall QoL, and depression in this study. These findings suggest that while caregiving
presents challenges, coping mechanisms like spirituality may mitigate its negative impacts.
Targeted interventions are needed to enhance caregiver support systems, focusing on mental health, stress management, and social connections to improve caregivers’ overall well-being and quality of life.
Keywords: Care burden, quality of life, depression, caregivers, hospitalized older adults.
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