Inpatient dependency in activities of daily living predicts informal caregiver strain: A cross‐sectional study

Abstract

Aims and Objectives:To investigate what factors influence caregiver strain in informal caregivers just before inpatients are discharged.Background: Previous research has investigated the risk factors related to the burden on caregivers in different clinical contexts. However, the findings from studies analysing these factors just before inpatients are discharged are uncertain.Design: A cross-sectional study design. Methods:The study involved 100 inpatients and 100 informal caregivers from seven different hospital units. Sociodemographic, clinical, functional and cognitive factors of inpatients-caregivers, and caregiver strains were recorded. Descriptive, bivariate correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed.Results: Caregivers of inpatients at risk of ulcers had significantly higher scores of strain. Dependency in activities of daily living scores and cognitive status scores were statistically inversely proportional to caregiver strain. Almost 27% of total variance of caregiver strain was due to dependency in activities of daily living.Conclusions: Caregiver strain was mainly associated with those situations in which the hospitalised patients presented the risk of ulcers, dependency and cognitive disorders, with dependency in activities of daily living being the factor that most influenced informal caregiver strain.Relevance to clinical practice: Dependency in activities of daily living, among other risk factors, should be evaluated at an early stage, monitored and controlled by hospital nursing staff. These strategies could protect and promote the well-being and quality of life of informal caregivers during patient hospitalisation and after discharge. caring for a relative (Jagannathan et al., 2014;Zarit, Todd, & Zarit, 1986). According to the general theory of stress, caregivers have to face stressful factors mediated by psychological processes. These mechanisms influence the emotional impact, perception of social support, coping strategies and family. The interaction between stressors and coping strategies may cause the caregiver to perceive an overload with negative consequences on his or her health (Hsiao & Tsai, 2015;L opez-Alonso & Moral-Serrano, 2005;Zarit et al., 1986).Caregiver strain may be defined as the stress or burden experienced by informal caregivers as a consequence of their caregiving role (Panganiban-Corales & Medina, 2011). | BACKGROUNDAlthough the estimated prevalence of caregiver strain varies in the literature, most studies have reported high levels of strain (Bradshaw et al., 2013;Oosterveer, Mishre, Van Oort, Bodde, & Aerden, 2014). Many predictors can influence the manner in which caregivers react and feel as a result of their role (Ain et al., 2014;Berg et al., 2005). Several studies state that caregiver strain depends on multiple sociodemographic, clinical, contextual or environmental factors (Berg et al., 2005;Blake & Lincoln, 2000;Bugge, Alexander, & Hagen, 1999;Hung et al., 2012) that probably contribute independently to this problem (Santos-Garc ıa & De la Fuente-...

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