Influence of Demographic Characteristics and Emotional State of NAFLD in Patients and their Caregivers on Caregiver Burden in China

Objective: This study examines the demographic characteristics of patients and caregivers hospitalized with NAFLD and the impact of patient anxiety and depression on caregiver burden. Methods: ： One hundred and forty-five patients with NAFLD and their caregivers were studied. Both patients and family members were required to complete a general information questionnaire, patients were required to complete the Generalized Anxiety Scale (GAD-7), the Patient Health Depression Questionnaire Scale (PHQ-9), and caregivers were required to complete the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). Descriptive analysis, univariate analysis, and multiple stepwise regression were used to analyze the effects of each factor on caregiver burden. Results: The results of the univariate analysis showed that patients' marital status, chronic illness, GAD-7, and PHQ-9 scores, and caregivers' literacy, relationship with patients, full-time caregiving, recreational activities, daily caregiving hours, and monthly economic income were influential factors of caregiver burden (P < 0.05). The multiple stepwise regression analysis results showed that the four factors of concluding patient's PHQ-9 score, caregiver-patient relationship, daily caregiving hours, and monthly economic income significantly influenced caregiver burden (P < 0.05). Conclusion: caregiver-patient relationship, length of caregiving per day, and monthly financial income affect caregiver burden. In addition, depression in patients hospitalized with NAFLD is one of the main influencing factors of caregiver burden and should be taken seriously.