Feeling of Burden, Psychological Distress, and Anxiety among Primary Caregivers of Children with Home Enteral Nutrition

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between several psychological factors and the feeling of burden experienced by caregivers of children with home enteral nutrition. METHODS: Fifty-six mothers of pediatric patients with chronic diseases requiring long-term home enteral nutrition were recruited. They were asked to respond to specific questionnaires about their anxiety symptoms (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), psychological distress (SCL-90-R) and feeling of burden (Zarit-scale). RESULTS: Caregivers' feeling of burden was found to be statistically associated to psychological distress (r = .516, p < .001) and trait anxiety (r = .376, p = .005). No significant differences were found between the type of diagnosis and caregiver burden. Regression analysis indicated psychological distress has a partial mediational effect in the relationship between trait anxiety and caregivers' burden. CONCLUSIONS: Psychological distress and anxiety show a positive correlation with caregivers' feeling of burden, and may disrupt family well-being. Early identification of high-risk situations is essential in order to plan specific psychosocial aid efficiently.