The Relationship Between Health Anxiety and Caregiver Burden in Informal Caregivers of Patients with COVID-19

Abstract

Background: Irrational health anxiety increases due to insufficient information about COVID-19 and misinterpretation of allergy symptoms in favor of COVID-19. The disease increases the caregiver burden in informal caregivers and, subsequently, causes physical and mental disorders for them and negatively affects the provision of care for patients. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the relationship between health anxiety and caregiver burden in informal caregivers of patients with COVID-19. Methods: In this cross-sectional and correlational study, the convenient sampling method was adopted to select 340 informal caregivers of patients with COVID-19 who were discharged during the last three weeks of hospitalization in Vasei Hospital of Sabzevar City, Iran, in 2021. To collect the required data, the online links of the demographic information questionnaire, Salkoviskis's short health anxiety inventory (SHAI), and Novak and Guest's Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) were sent to the subjects through messengers. The data were analyzed using SPSS 22 as well as descriptive and analytical statistics. Results: According to the results, the mean caregiver burden score in informal caregivers of patients with COVID-19 was 69.72 ± 14.91, and the mean health anxiety score was 16.22 ± 8.24. Pearson's test results were indicative of a significant relationship between caregiver burden and health anxiety (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Since a significant relationship was found between health anxiety and caregiver burden in informal caregivers of patients with COVID-19 in this study, it was argued that the health of informal caregivers was an important health issue certainly deserving serious attention of the health service providers.

Predictors of care burden among caregivers of patients with COVID‐19

“…In the current study, similar to the findings of Arora et al ( 2022 ), Raesi, et al ( 2021 ), Mirzaei et al ( 2020 ), Ebrahimi et al ( 2022 ) and Barghbani et al ( 2023 ), there was no statistically significant association observed between the mean care burden and the age of the caregivers. However, some other studies, such as Jouybari et al ( 2022 ) and Sheikhbardsiri et al ( 2022 ), reported a statistically significant relationship between caregiver age and the care burden.…”

“…In line with the findings of Ebrahimi et al (2022), the present study revealed that caregivers with poorer health status experienced a higher burden of care when compared to those with better health status. However, the study by Barghbani et al (2023) As the number of patients under care increases, the burden of care also increases. Although no studies specifically examining the relationship between caregiving burden and the number of COVID-19 patients under care were found, it is predicted that an increase in the number of patients will result in an increased caregiver burden.…”

“…Raesi et al (2021),Ebrahimi et al (2022),Sayadi and Masoumi Fard (2022),Barghbani et al (2023) andArora et al (2022). However, TA B L E 1…”

Combined Effects of the Mobile Health (mHealth) Psychoeducation and Benson Relaxation Technique in Reducing the Caregiving Burden of Cancer Patients in Bangladesh: A Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

“…In the IG, we designed a combined intervention using self-determination theory (SDT) and the BRT, which were used separately in previous studies, and successfully reduced the severity of the caregiving burden among caregivers [ 17 , 26 ]. There will be six sessions over six months, where each session will be conducted at the beginning of each month.…”

“…These techniques include mindfulness exercises that specifically treat a variety of mental and emotional symptoms such as burden, anxiety, pain, depression, mood swings, and self-esteem. Related studies have demonstrated that BRT is more effective in reducing caregiving burden, anxiety, and depression in various populations, including among caregivers [ 17 , 18 ].…”