CAREGIVER OVERLOAD IN PERITONEAL DIALYSIS: A DESCRIPTIVE MULTICENTER STUDY

Introduction:

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a home therapy that offers patients increased flexibility and independence. However, it often requires a caregiver, usually a family member. Caregivers can experience a significant burden due to the daily tasks, health monitoring, and emotional support they must provide. This burden can negatively affect their physical and emotional well-being, but more importantly, it can significantly impact the quality of care provided to the patient. Addressing caregiver overload is not just important for the caregiver, it could impact patient safety and well-being. This study aimed to evaluate caregiver overload among caregivers of PD patients in Colombia.

Methods:

A descriptive, multicenter, cross-sectional study included caregivers of patients undergoing PD. The Peritoneal Dialysis Caregiver Overload Questionnaire, which was adapted to Colombian Spanish, was used. The overload score was calculated as the sum of all items, rated on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (never) to 4 (always). The score is categorized as none or mild from 1 to 25, mild to moderate from 26 to 40, and moderate to severe greater than or equal to 41 points. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the demographic and clinical characteristics of the participants. The chi-square test was applied to explore the relationship between caregiver overload and the frequency of peritonitis.

Results:

The most caregivers were aged between 41-60 years; indicating a large proportion of caregivers are in their prime working years. 33.7% were responsible for continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), while 66.3% were responsible for automated peritoneal dialysis (APD). 55.7% spent more than 12 hours daily caring for patients. Most caregivers were related to the patient but not in 12% of patients, and 4.5% of the patients were functionally dependent. Details are presented in Table 1. The caregiver overload questionnaire revealed that 29.8% (n=490) of the caregivers had no or mild overload, 38.9% (n=639) had mild to moderate overload, and 31.3% (n=515) had moderate to severe (Figure 1).  Significant differences in the peritonitis frequency were observed based on the degree of caregiver overload, with a p-value of 0.034. Table 2.

Conclusions:

Caregiver overload is prevalent among those caring for PD patients, and it is critical to understand its impact on clinical outcomes such as peritonitis. The findings of this study underscore the need for developing and implementing support programs tailored to caregivers which are specifically designed to improve their well-being and, consequently also, the quality of patient care.

I have potential conflict of interest to disclose.
Dr. Ardila is an employee of Renal Care Services Latin America Ms Cruz S is an employee of Renal Care Services Girardot Ms Orellano P is an employee of Renal Care Services Cartagena Mr Correa J is an employee of Renal Care Services Monteria Ms Acosta A is an employee of Renal Care Services Bogota Mr Castaño R is an employee of Renal Care Services Colombia Ms Peña E Dr. is an employee of Renal Care Services Medellin

I did not use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process.