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. 2023 Apr 18;9(1):16.
doi: 10.1038/s41394-023-00570-w.

Caregiver burden according to ageing and type of care activity in caregivers of individuals with spinal cord injury

Sun-Houng Kim  1 , Onyoo Kim  2 , Young-Hyeon Bae  3 , Dong-Il Choi  3 , Jae Eun Heo  3 , Won-Kyung Song  3 , Bum-Suk Lee  4
Affiliations

Caregiver burden according to ageing and type of care activity in caregivers of individuals with spinal cord injury

Sun-Houng Kim et al. Spinal Cord Ser Cases. .

Abstract

Objective: To describe caregiver burden according to the caregivers' general characteristics, especially with ageing, and type of care activities provided by caregivers of individuals with spinal cord injury.

Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted utilizing a structured questionnaire that included general characteristics, health conditions, and caregiver burden.

Setting: A single center study in Seoul, Korea.

Subjects: Participants were recruited from 87 individuals with spinal cord injuries and 87 caregivers.

Methods: The Caregiver Burden Inventory was used to assess caregiver burden.

Results: Caregiver burden was significantly different by age (p = 0.001), relationship (p = 0.025), sleep hours (p = <0.001), underlying disease (p = 0.018), pain (p = <0.001), and daily activities of individuals with spinal cord injury (p = 0.001). Caregiver's age (B = 0.339, p = 0.049), sleep duration (B = -2.896, p = 0.012) and pain (B = 2.558, p < 0.001) predicted caregiver burden. Toileting assistance was the most challenging and time-consuming for caregivers, while patient transfer was associated with the greatest concerns for body injury.

Conclusion: Caregiver education should be targeted according to caregiver's age and type of assistance. Social policies need to be developed to distribute devices and care-robots to reduce caregiver burden and thereby assist caregivers.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Type of caregiver burden by four groups (≤49, 50–59, 60–69, ≥70 years) (N = 87).
Time dependence burden was most severe type among caregiver burdens. Eldest group (more than 70 years) had greater caregiver burden tan other age group (<0.001).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Ranking of difficulty, time spent, and physical injury of care activities (N = 87).
Toileting assistance-bowel was the most difficult and time spent care activity. And transfer was the greatest risk of physical injury.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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