Evaluation of COPD patient’s relatives assessment of disease awarness, load of care giving and loss of workforce: Turkish Thoracic Society COPD working group

Abstract

Objective: Our aim is to measure the level of awareness of patient’s relatives COPD, to determine the caregiver burden of patient's relatives, and to determine whether there is a work day loss. Material and method: 252 COPD patients and 252 patient’s relatives from 11 centers were included in this questionnaire study. Ethics committee was approval. Disease information of the patients were recorded and a questionnaire was applied. Socio-demographic characteristics of the patient’s relatives were recorded and a questionnaire consisting of 24 questions including COPD disease, treatment and loss of working days and Zarit Scale used in chronic diseases were used. Results: 128(50.8%) of the patients according to GOLD were group-D.97(38.5%) of the patient's relatives were working. 253(94.4%) knew that COPD was a lung disease. 62(24.7%) were not able to go to work for 1-14 days. 125(57.1%) spent outside the home from 1 to 14 nights, because those accompanied to patients. In univariate analysis were detected mMRC(p<0.001), CAT(p<0.001), the number of comorbidities of patients(p=0.027),Conclusion: In COPD increases caregiving burden. This burden is greater in symptomatic patients and when comorbidities are present. Psycho-social and legal regulations should be investigated and solutions should be produced for the person who gives care to COPD patients