Exploring the Burden of Informal Caregiving for Patients Undergoing Long-term Hemodialysis: A Multicenter Study

Background: Family caregivers are essential partners for hemodialysis patients’ medical needs and daily living activities. They often feel overwhelmed and strained. This study explored the prevalence and factors associated with caregiving burden among patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis.

Methods: This article is a cross-sectional study of 228 caregivers of patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis for over 3 months. Data were retrieved through face-to-face interviews with hemodialysis patients’ caregivers. The Arabic version of the 12-item Abridged Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI-A) was utilized to evaluate caregiver burden. Independent predictors of caregiver burden were identified using logistic regression.

Results: The median age of caregivers was 42 (30-42) years, and 65.8% were females. Ninety caregivers (41.7%) experienced no-to-mild caregiver burden (ZBI score 1-10), 84 (36.8%) had mild-to-moderate burden (ZBI score 11-20), and 49 (21.5%) had a high burden (ZBI score >20). The median total ZBI score of caregivers was 12 (8-19), with a maximum score of 42. Female caregivers and those living in Greater Cairo had approximately 2 times higher odds of having a higher caregiver burden (ZBI score >10) [95% confidence interval 1.10-3.57 and (1.071-4.01), respectively].

Conclusion: More than half of caregivers experience either mild-to-moderate or high burden that is independently associated with sex and region of residence. While providing care to hemodialysis patients, it is essential to focus on their family caregivers, especially females, by developing tailored interventions that can help alleviate their burden.

Cite this article as: Mahmoud Mohammad Abdulaziz H, Mohamed Omar Y, Mohamed Naguib Attiya A, et al. Exploring the burden of informal caregiving for patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis: A multicenter study. Turk J Nephrol. 2025;34(3):188-194.