Factors influencing scales of burden, coping mechanisms, and quality of life in caregivers of hemodialysis patients in Andhra Pradesh, India

Background: Evaluation of factors influencing scales of burden, coping mechanisms, and quality of life (QOL) in caregivers of hemodialysis (HD) patients may lead to the revision of interventions aimed at the betterment of QOL of caregivers of HD patients. In this study, we investigated the influence of demographic, social, and clinical variables on burden, coping mechanisms, and QOL in caregivers of HD patients. Methods: In this prospective study, 150 caregivers of HD patients were recruited. Assessment of burden, coping strategies, and QOL were made by the Zarit Burden Interview, Revised Ways of Coping, and Short Form-36 QOL. The role of age, gender, and social and clinical variables on these constructs was investigated using multivariate analysis of variance. Results: The mean age was 43.86 ± 1.11 years. Males outnumbered females. Most were Hindu, married, primary school educated, unemployed, spouses, caring the patients, and suffering from chronic diseases for