Page 179 - Ebook-Book JCMS 2025

Relationships between Caregiver Burden, Financial Burden,
Family Support, and Quality of Life as Perceived by Caregivers
of the Dependent Persons
Tipwaree Sanorkhum, Noppawan Phinitkhajorndech, Apinya Siripitayakunkit*
Adult and Gerontological Nursing, Ramathibodi School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi
Hospital
*Corresponding Author E-mail: apinya.sii@mahidol.edu
Abstract
This descriptive study aimed to study the relationships between the caregiver burden, financial burden, family support,
and the quality of life as perceived by caregivers of the dependent persons using the conceptual model of Orem and
Oberst’s burden of care concept. The sample consisted of 85 caregivers of dependent persons who attended Phra
Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Hospital from October 2021 to March 2022. The sample was screened as dependent persons by
using the Daily Activity Ability Assessment (BAI) with a score of 0-11. The sample group, over 60 years old, had to pass
the cognitive impairment assessment with a score of 0-7 points. The data were then collected by interviewing using
questionnaires including financial burden assessment tool, Caregiving Burden Scale, Family APGAR Questionnaire, and
WHOQOL-BREF. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman’s correlation coefficients.
The results revealed that caregivers perceived a moderate level of overall burden perception. When considering each
aspect, the mean perception of the amount of time spent (M= 42.65, SD=9.65) and the difficulty of care (M=40.58,
SD=11.29) were not different. More than 63.5 percent of caregivers perceived a moderate level of financial burden, with
the highest cost being adult diapers, personal care items, and medical equipment. Caregivers felt highly satisfied with
overall family support and had a moderate level of overall perceived quality of life. For the relationship between the
variables, it was found that the burden of care had a statistically significant negative relationship with quality of life
(r = -.468, p<.01). family support had a statistically significant positive relationship with quality of life (r = .223, p=.040),
Financial burden had no statistically significant relationship with quality of life (r =.040, p =.713).
The study’s findings are not just academic knowledge but a powerful tool for health team personnel and related parties.
They provide practical insights into the burden of care, financial burden, family support, and the quality of life of
caregivers of dependent persons. This information empowers us to plan and develop effective programs to help and
support the quality of life for caregivers of dependent persons.
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