Determinants of Caregiver Burden in Parkinson’s Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study from Türkiye

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to determine the caregiving burden and related factors among individuals providing care to patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD).
METHODS: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 283 caregivers of patients with PD. Data were collected using a descriptive characteristics form and the Zarit Caregiving Burden Scale (ZCBS). Descriptive statistics, t-tests, analysis of variance, and correlation analyses were used in data analysis. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology checklist was followed during the planning and reporting phases.
RESULTS: The mean ZCBS of the family caregivers was found to be 58.51±18.69. A significant relationship was found between ZCBS and descriptive characteristics of patients such as age (p=0.049), disease duration (p=0.004), and Parkinson’s stage (p<0.001). The ZCBS scores were different according to marital status (p=0.001), income level (p<0.001), and daily caregiving time (p<0.001) of caregivers. Caregivers of patients in advanced disease stages, with longer caregiving hours and lower income levels, reported significantly higher burden levels. No significant differences were found in burden scores based on caregivers’ age, gender, education, employment status, or place of residence.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The caregiver burden for individuals caring for patients with Parkinson’s disease is above moderate and is affected by clinical and sociodemographic factors. Those providing care for longer periods and to patients in more advanced stages experience greater strain. These results highlight the importance of identifying caregivers at risk for high burden and implementing support mechanisms such as psychosocial counseling, respite care, and caregiver training programs.

Keywords: Caregiver burden, caregiving, descriptive study, Parkinson’s disease