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Abstract Background Little is known about the quality of life (QoL) of caregivers of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) along the disease continuum. We investigated factors associated with low QoL among caregivers of patients with CKD including those on dialysis. We also examined the relationship between kidney disease severity and the QoL of caregivers. Methods We recruited caregivers of patients with CKD (stage 3 to 5) attending renal outpatient clinics as well as dialysis units of a tertiary hospital and patients from January 2018 to November 2023. Quality of life was assessed using a valid and reliable tool, the Adult Carer Quality of Life Questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine factors associated with low quality of life among caregivers. Results A total of 278 dyads of caregivers and patients with chronic kidney disease were studied. The mean age of caregivers and patients was 56.6 ± 15.2 and 63.7 ± 15.3 years respectively. The severity of CKD had a significant impact on QoL of caregivers in the personal growth and carer satisfaction domains where caregivers of patients on dialysis reported worse scores compared to caregivers of predialysis patients. Female gender of caregivers and patients, longer caregiving time, diagnosis of diabetes and lower socioeconomic status of patients were all associated with lower scores in one or more domains. Conclusion In caregivers of patients with CKD, female gender of both caregivers and patients, longer caregiving time, lower socioeconomic status and a diagnosis of diabetes among patients were independently associated with low quality of life among caregivers. An understanding of these factors provides insight into the development of targeted interventions to improve the quality of life of caregivers.
Zimbudzi et al. (Tue,) studied this question.