Burden among Family Caregivers of Patients on Chronic Hemodialysis in Northern Japan

Purpose: To investigate factors related to burden among family caregivers of regular hemodialysis patients. Design: Cross sectional study. Subjects: 108 pairs of family caregivers and regular hemodialysis patients in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. Subjects and Methods: Caregivers answered a self-administered questionnaire about various factors that may affect their care-burden and also completed the Japanese version of the Zarit careburden interview (J-ZBI). They were divided into two groups according to their ZBI score. Results: Compared with lightly burdened caregivers, those heavily burdened were more likely to be spouses and to have chronic diseases under medical treatment. Patients cared for by heavily burdened caregivers were more likely to be males, have dementia, and be disabled than their counterparts. Heavily burdened caregivers spent a longer time with their charges as well as in providing for their physical care than lightly burdened caregivers. In addition, they spent more money to use social services in their caregiving than lightly burdened caregivers. Heavily burdened caregivers were more likely to rent wheelchairs, to consult a staff of a support center for the frail elderly, to consult a home doctor, to use home renovation services, to apply to the insurer for the assessment of need for care, and to make a care plan than their counterparts. Compared with lightly burdened caregivers, more of those heavily burdened wanted regular assistance for care and facilities for regular day-time respite care. Conclusion: These findings suggest that looking after patients for a long time as well as paying a lot of money seems to be an important factor related to caregiver's developing psychological feelings of heavy burden.