Impact of Caregiving Burden on Quality of Life of Caregivers of COPD Patients: The Chain Mediating Role of Social Support and Negative Coping Styles

Abstract

Purpose: Caregivers of COPD patients experience various caregiving burden, which is related to their quality of life. We aimed to explicitly explore whether social support and negative coping styles play the chain mediating roles in the relationship between the caregiving burden of caregivers of COPD patients and their health-related quality of life. Methods: We conducted a multicenter cross-sectional survey in four hospitals using a convenience sample. Participants who met the inclusion criteria completed five relevant scales, including a sociodemographic scale. One-way ANOVA and Pearson's method were used to analyze the data accordingly, and chain mediated effect values were estimated by bootstrap method to determine whether the model holds. Results: Among the 201 caregivers who participated in this study, the mean age was 55.94 years, most of them were female (61.2%), the mean caregiving burden score was 52.39 ± 14.65, and the quality of life score was 37.97 ± 3.55. Among them, age, gender, education, relationship with the patient, and the number of chronic diseases were the main factors affecting the quality of life score of the caregivers. According to Pearson results, there was a negative correlation between quality of life and caregiving burden, and negative coping styles. The model result showed that caregiving burden could directly and negatively predict quality of life, and also predict quality of life through the chain mediation of social support and negative coping styles. Conclusion:In China, caregivers of patients with COPD experience severe levels of caregiving burden and low quality of life. The combination of adequate perceived social support and lower negative coping can be effective in alleviating caregiving burden and improving their quality of life. Therefore, healthcare professionals should provide targeted guidance to caregivers with the help of social support and interventions that regulate negative coping styles.

The experience of caregiver burden when being next of kin to a person with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A qualitative study

“… 8 An increased caregiver burden has an immediate negative effect on the quality of life. 5 Next of kin of those with advanced COPD has a higher subjective caregiver burden than those of persons with COPD in earlier stages. 9 The next of kin needs strategies to support the affected person which develops over time.…”

“…When there is an imbalance between the stressors and possibilities to cope with the situation, caregiver burden emerges. 4 Negative coping styles lead to a higher caregiver burden 5 Caregiver burden includes aspects of emotional, social, physical, spiritual, and financial functions. 6 Thus, the caregiver burden is multidimensional 7 and the experiences are individual.…”

Improving the wellbeing of caregivers of patients with COPD using a home-based pulmonary rehabilitation programme

“…Additionally, more than a third of the caregivers reported that caring for their sick loved one was a high burden (ZBI score >24 points). Nevertheless, the mean ZBI score of 21.6±15.1 points was relatively low compared to a recent study reporting a mean ZBI score of 52.4±14.6 points in 201 caregivers of hospitalised patients with COPD [ 39 ]. However, since patients with COPD were hospitalised, we can assume that they had more severe disease compared to the patients in the present study, which could explain the higher caregiver burden score.…”

“…However, since patients with COPD were hospitalised, we can assume that they had more severe disease compared to the patients in the present study, which could explain the higher caregiver burden score. Moreover, in the study by Y i et al [ 39 ], caregivers were mostly the patients’ children (66%). It could be more difficult for the spouse (87% in the present study) to admit that their husband/wife is a burden.…”

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“…Moreover, increasing physical, mental, and financial pressures due to COPD exacerbation make FCs ignore their health and self-care and reduce their QOL. A study indicated that the FCs of patients with COPD had heavy CB and low QOL [ 11 ].…”