PERCEIVED BURDEN AMONG MALE AND FEMALE MALAYSIAN FAMILY CAREGIVERS OF HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS

Abstract

This study examines the quality of life among male and female caregivers of hemodialysis patients. Literature focusing on the quality of life of caregivers of hemodialysis patients in Malaysia is notably lacking. This study uses the SF36 health survey among caregivers of hemodialysis patients and the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) which is a 22-item instrument for measuring the caregiver's perceived burden of providing family care. The study highlights the impact of difficulties and challenges faced by close family members and caregivers who had a spousal relationship with the patient (60.02 ± 8.85) and reported a significantly greater sense of burden compared to the caregiver who had a parent-child relationship with the patient (56.08 ± 9.61). A negative relationship was discovered between caregiver burden and quality of life (r (196) = -.174, p =.015). =.015), when the percentage of burden among the caregivers is high, their quality of life perception could be low. Caregivers who are at the primary level of education (60.28 ± 7.90) have a significantly greater burden as compared to those at the secondary level of education (55.97 ± 10.04), (Mean Difference = 4.31, p =.012). The overall difference between male and female caregivers in terms of their bodily pain percentage (U = 4375.5, Z = -2.135, p <.05), with female caregivers (Median = 63) have a significantly lower quality of bodily pain as compared to male caregivers (Median = 72). This leads to the conclusion that there is a significant burden and lower QOL for couples as compared to children as caregivers in various aspects of their lives and that females need social support to help them deal with the duties and responsibilities of caregivers.