Abstract:

This study aimed to determine the relationship between caregivers' burdens and their ability to cope with stress alongside various variables. This cross-sectional study was composed of 156 caregivers residing in Samsun and providing care for those who receive service from the home healthcare services unit of the provincial directorate of health. A questionnaire was applied to the participants between April 1 and 30, 2018 using face-to-face interview method. The questionnaire, which was prepared by the researchers, included questions about The Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale (ZCBS) and Stress Coping Scale, as well as questions containing sociodemographic characteristics. The caregivers participating in the study were, on average, 50.8±10.2 years old (min=23 max=75), 90.4% were female, 51.9% were primary school graduates, 73.7% were married, and 84% were parents. The frequency of those with a chronic disease was 66.0%. While the burden of caregiving is higher for those, who do not have someone else to give help to provide care, full-time caregivers and those with chronic diseases, 14.7% of caregivers stated that they were not burdened, while 9.0% stated that they have excessive burden. Self-confident (p=0.024), optimistic approach scale scores were low (p=0.030) and the desperate approach scale scores were high (p<0.001) for caregivers, who feel an excessive burden, but no difference was found in their seeking of social support (p=0.461) and submissive approach scores (p=0.984). While there is a negative, weak, significant relationship between ZCBS scores and the self-confident (r=-0.235, p=0.003), and the optimistic approach scores (r=-0.228, p=0.004) a positive, moderate, significant relationship was found between ZCBS scores and desperate approach scores (r=0.378, p<0.001). Providing care is a challenging process. For this reason, caregivers should be supported both physiologically and psychologically. It is thought that both social and institutional support will be beneficial in reducing the burden of care and the given social support will make it easier for people to cope with stress.

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