Recognizing burden in unpaid caregivers of end stage renal disease patients

Abstract

End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and its exacerbation can create burden not only for the patient but their caregiver. Many caregivers are unprepared to take on this new role and suffer the negative consequences of stress, anxiety, and depression impacting their own health. There is limited research on caregivers self-assessed level of health and the positive aspects of caregiving associated with their perceived degree of burden. Purpose: This study will assist healthcare providers to identify burden & empower caregivers to develop strategies that support interventions that may minimize the degree of burden. It may also support caregivers to identify the positive aspects in their caregiving role. Results: Caregivers with more positive aspects of caregiving was associated with lesser degrees of burden (p= <0.004). Caregivers with higher levels of self-assessed health experienced a lesser degree of burden (p= 0.000) Conclusion: DNP’s need to assess the caregiver, care recipient dyad for the presence of burden throughout any chronic disease trajectory for health promotion and illness prevention for populations at risk.