Journals / Yoğun Bakım Hemşireliği Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 30 Sayı: 2

Care Burden of Families of Intensive Care Patients with Palliative Care Needs and Its Relationship with Socio-Demographic Factors

Palyatif Bakım İhtiyacı Olan Yoğun Bakım Hastalarının Ailelerinin Bakım Yükü ve Sosyo-Demografik Faktörlerle İlişkisi

Funda Çakır(BARTIN ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-4197-7534
Elçin Kasapoğlu(BARTIN ÜNİVERSİTESİ, SAĞLIK HİZMETLERİ MESLEK YÜKSEKOKULU)0000-0001-5881-059X
Hilal Uysal(BARTIN ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0003-3211-7011
Pages
89–101
Publication Date
2026-08-25
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Findings indicate the need to improve palliative care services in the ICU and plan training and psychosocial support programs for caregivers.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Objective: This study was conducted to determine the care burden of families of palliative care (PC) patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), and the caregivers’ socio-demographic characteristics and the patients’ clinical factors associated with this burden.
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Key Findings & Data:Method: This descriptive, cross-sectional study had a sample size of 181.
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Conclusion & Impact:Findings indicate the need to improve palliative care services in the ICU and plan training and psychosocial support programs for caregivers.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Bakımverenler · bakımveren yükü · palyatif bakım

Abstract

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the care burden of families of palliative care (PC) patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), and the caregivers’ socio-demographic characteristics and the patients’ clinical factors associated with this burden. Method: This descriptive, cross-sectional study had a sample size of 181. Data were collected using a patient/caregiver information form, the Palliative Performance Scale (PPS), and the Family Member Care Assessment Inventory. Statistical analyses included descriptive tests, correlation analysis, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: The majority of the patients participating in the study were female (51.9%), with a mean age of 77.7±9.5 years, and most of them were primary school graduates (82.9%), and they were in the middle-income group (91.2%). The mean PPS score of the participants was 47.46±18.41, and a significant portion of the patients were identified as needing palliative care. The mean age of caregivers was 48.2±11.8 years, 58% were female, 90% were married, and 47% were unemployed. Female caregivers had significantly higher knowledge level scores than male caregivers (P=.008). Difficulties experienced in caregiving decreased with increasing education level (P=.028), while low-income caregivers had higher care resource scores (P=.050). Negative, significant correlations were found between the PPS and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II), and expected mortality rate. Conclusion: A significant portion of intensive care patients require palliative care, creating a significant caregiving burden for families. The gender, education, and income levels of caregivers were found to influence the caregiver burden. Findings indicate the need to improve palliative care services in the ICU and plan training and psychosocial support programs for caregivers.

Özet

Amaç: Bu çalışma, yoğun bakım ünitesinde (YBÜ) yatan palyatif bakım (PB) hastalarının ailelerinin bakım yükünü ve bu yük ile ilişkili bakım verenlerin sosyo-demografik özelliklerini ve hastaların klinik faktörlerini belirlemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Yöntem: Tanımlayıcı ve kesitsel tipteki araştırmanın örneklem büyüklüğü 181’dir. Veriler; hasta/hasta yakını bilgi formu, Palyatif Performans Skalası (PPS) ve Aile Üyeleri Tarafından Verilen Bakımı Değerlendirme Envanteri ile toplanmıştır. İstatistiksel analizlerde tanımlayıcı testler, korelasyon analizi, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis ve Mann-Whitney U testleri kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: Çalışmaya katılan hastaların çoğunluğu kadın (%51,9), yaş ortalaması 77,7±9,5 yıl olup, büyük kısmı ilköğretim mezunu (%82,9) ve orta gelir grubundadır (%91,2). Katılımcıların PPS ortalama puanı 47,46±18,41 olarak bulunmuş ve hastaların önemli bir kısmının palyatif bakım ihtiyacı olduğu belirlenmiştir. Bakım verenlerin yaş ortalaması 48,2±11,8 olup, %58’i kadın, %90’ı evli ve %47’si çalışmamaktadır. Kadın bakım verenlerin bilgi düzeyi puanları erkeklerden anlamlı derecede yüksek bulunmuştur (P=,008). Eğitim düzeyi arttıkça bakımda yaşanan güçlüklerin azaldığı (p= ,028), düşük gelirli bakım verenlerin bakım kaynakları puanlarının ise daha yüksek olduğu belirlenmiştir (P=,050). PPS ile Ardışık Organ Yetmezliği Değerlendirme Skoru (SOFA), Akut Fizyoloji ve Kronik Sağlık Değerlendirme Skoru (APACHE II) ve beklenen ölüm oranı arasında negatif, anlamlı ilişkiler saptanmıştır. Sonuç: Yoğun bakım hastalarının önemli bir kısmı palyatif bakım ihtiyacı taşımaktadır ve bu durum aileler için ciddi bir bakım yükü oluşturmaktadır. Bakım verenlerin cinsiyet, eğitim ve gelir durumlarının bakım yükünü etkilediği belirlenmiştir. Bulgular, YBÜ’de palyatif bakım hizmetlerinin geliştirilmesi ve bakım verenlere yönelik eğitim ve psiko-sosyal destek programlarının planlanmasının gerekli olduğunu göstermektedir.

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Cite This Article

Çakır, F., Kasapoğlu, E., Uysal, H. (2026). Care Burden of Families of Intensive Care Patients with Palliative Care Needs and Its Relationship with Socio-Demographic Factors. Yoğun Bakım Hemşireliği Dergisi, Cilt: 30 Sayı: 2, 89–101. https://doi.org/10.62111/ybhd.1838261

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