The Burden of Care Among Caregivers of Family Members Who Suffered Spinal Cord Injury in the National Spinal Injury Referral Hospital

Abstract

The term "burden of caregiving" refers to the difficulties that a caregiver faces on a variety of fronts, including the physical, the social, the mental, and the financial, when providing care for a family member who has suffered from a spinal cord injury. As the term of "burden of caregiving" explains, looking after a family member who has spinal cord injuries can be taxing in a number of different ways. There is an evident and pressing necessity to tackle the substantial caregiver burden, as the encountered challenges not only affect the post-treatment care of the patient but also have broader implications for the well-being of other family members, the caregiver, and the community as a whole. Despite the limited exploration of the caregiver burden's weight, it is apparent that there is a significant imperative to address this issue. Study Objective – The objective of this study was to determine the level burden of caregiving of among family members with Patients with Spinal Injury in NSIRH and the sociodemographic characteristics of the caregivers and of the patients. Method – The study was a quantitative method and the design was a descriptive cross-sectional study. A researcher designed socio-demographic questionnaire and a Zarit care burden interview was used. only those who gave informed consent and met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. The data was entered, cleaned and analysis done. Study Site – The study was done in the National Spinal injury referral hospital which is located along rose avenue in Kilimani (Nairobi). The study population comprised of the family members of the patients with spinal cord injury who have taken up the role of caregiving of the patient as they undergo rehabilitation as an outpatient or inpatient in the hospital. Results – The study was carried out with the participation of 32 people, 29 of whom were hospital inpatients and 3 of whom were hospital outpatients who attended physiotherapy at the hospital. The average burden score was 28.2, and the vast majority of caregivers were women 78.1% and were married. The majority of the patients were male accounting for 71.9% of the total, and the thoracic region was the most commonly injured level accounting for 65.6% of the total. Road traffic accidents are the leading cause of injury, accounting for 53.1% of all cases. Concerns about their ability to financially provide for themselves and their loved ones, fear, and uncertainty were common issues expressed by a significant number of those providing care for family members who had suffered spinal cord injuries. The high mean score that was scored in the financial domain as well as the self-criticism, fear, and uncertainty domain in the ZBI was a good demonstration of this point. Conclusion and Recommendation – The individuals primarily responsible for the care of patients with spinal cord injuries indeed bear the weight of caregiving. The intensity of this caregiving burden is influenced by various sociodemographic factors, including age, educational level, gender, and other relevant factors. Having support groups in various counties where carers can obtain moral help, training camps, and education forums that promote awareness of spinal cord injury and aftercare can help minimize the stress of providing care for someone with a spinal cord injury.