Effect of family-oriented education on care burden and anxiety of caregivers of the elderly with type 2 diabetes

The complexity and protracted nature of diabetes causes care burden and anxiety for caregivers of diabetic patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of family-oriented self-care programs on care burden and anxiety of caregivers of elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.

This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 92 caregivers of elderly people with type 2 diabetes in Khatam Al-Anbia Hospital in Behshahr, who were randomly divided into two groups: an experimental group and a control group. Data were collected using the Care Burden Questionnaire and the Spielberger Anxiety Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS 16 through descriptive and inferential statistical tests (analysis of covariance) at a 0.05 significance level.

The results showed that the mean and standard deviation of care burden and anxiety in the experimental group were 96.54 ± 3.65 and 121.30 ± 5.60 before training and decreased to 61.8 ± 4.73 and 79.67 ± 4.57 after education, respectively. This result means that the education significantly reduced the average caregiver burden and anxiety (p < 0.05).

The research findings indicated that educational programs reduced the care burden and anxiety of caregivers of patients with diabetes. Therefore, hospital decision makers are recommended to develop educational programs for caregivers of these patients.