Burden of Care and Psychological Distress in Primary Caregivers of Patients with Type -2 Diabetes Mellitus in A Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Caregivers play an important role in themanagement and care of individuals with chronic medicalconditions. This is because; they provide emotional, physical,financial as well as spiritual support to their wards. However, theprocess of caregiving is usually associated with feelings of burdenand psychological distress.METHODS: This study was a descriptive, cross-sectional, clinic-based study done at the endocrinology clinic of a Teaching hospitalin Northern Nigeria. It was done utilizing the Zarit BurdenInterview, the General Health Questionnaire (12 item version) anda socio-demographic questionnaire designed by the authors. Thelevels of burden as well as the factors associated with burden andpsychological distress in one hundred caregivers of patients withType 2 Diabetes Mellitus were assessed. Statistical analysis wasdone using chi square, independent T test and linear regression.RESULTS: Forty- two percent (42%) of caregivers experiencedlittle or no burden, 47% had mild to moderate burden, 8% hadmoderate to severe burden, while 3% had severe burden. When theZBI scores were dichotomized into ‘low’ and ‘high’ burden, 89%were found to experience low burden, while 11% experienced highburden. On logistic regression, females were found to be four timesmore likely to experience high burden, while Thirty-five (35%)percent of caregivers had a GHQ score of > 3, signifyingpsychological distress and psychological distress was found to besignificantly associated with burden.CONCLUSION: Many Nigerian caregivers of patients with Type 2Diabetes Mellitus experience burden and psychological distressassociated with caregiving, especially female caregivers and thosetaking care of those taking care of patients with complications. It istherefore important for clinicians to recognize burdened caregiversand intervene appropriately in order to improve the quality of careof these patients.