Demans Hastalarının Birincil Aile Bakıcılarının Sağlığı Üzerine İkincil Bakım Verenin Etkileri: Fiziksel ve Psikolojik Yönlere Odaklanma

Year 2025, Volume: 10 Issue: 3, 470 - 476, 30.09.2025

Elvan Felekoğlu , Hazal Yakut Ozdemir , Sevgi Özalevli , Görsev Yener

https://doi.org/10.61399/ikcusbfd.1731388

Abstract

Amaç: Dünya genelinde demans hastası sayısı artmakta ve hastalığın erken dönemlerinden itibaren bakım verenlere ihtiyaç duyulmaktadır. Ancak, birincil bakım verenin yanında ikincil bir bakım verenin bulunmasının birincil bakım verenin fiziksel ve psikolojik sağlığı üzerindeki etkisi net değildir. Bu çalışma, ikincil bakım veren bulunan ve bulunmayan birincil bakım verenlerin fiziksel ve psikolojik parametreler açısından karşılaştırılmasını amaçlamıştır.
Gereç ve Yöntem: Bu kesitsel çalışma, İzmir’de bir üniversite hastanesinin nöroloji polikliniklerinden alınan 61 demans hastasının birincil aile bakıcısını içermektedir. Katılımcılar, bakım verme düzenlemelerine göre iki gruba ayrılmıştır: tek başına bakım verenler (n=26; %42,6) ve ikincil bir bakıcıyla birlikte bakım verenler (n=35; %57,4). Fiziksel sağlık, Nordic Kas-İskelet Sistemi Anketi (kas-iskelet sistemi bozuklukları), Uluslararası Fiziksel Aktivite Anketi (fiziksel aktivite) ve Yorgunluk Şiddeti Ölçeği (yorgunluk) kullanılarak değerlendirilmiştir. Psikolojik sağlık ise Dünya Sağlık Örgütü Yaşam Kalitesi Ölçeği-Kısa Formu ve Zarit Bakıcı Yükü Ölçeği ile değerlendirilmiştir.
Bulgular: Gruplar arasında psikolojik ölçümler açısından anlamlı bir fark bulunmamıştır. Ancak, fiziksel sağlık açısından farklılıklar gözlemlenmiştir. İkincil bir bakıcısı olmayan bakıcılar, bakım verme görevleri nedeniyle günlerinin anlamlı derecede daha büyük bir bölümünü oturarak geçirmiştir (p=0,020). Ayrıca son yedi gün içinde omurga (p=0,05), üst ekstremiteler (p=0,046) ve alt ekstremitelerde (p=0,019) daha fazla kas-iskelet şikâyeti rapor edilmiştir.
Sonuç: İkincil bir bakımverenin varlığı, demans hastalarına bakan birincil bakımverenlerin fiziksel sağlığıyla ilişkilidir; ancak psikolojik iyi oluş üzerinde anlamlı bir etkisi bulunmamaktadır. Bu bulgular, bakımverenlerin sağlıklarını koruyabilmeleri için fiziksel destek sağlanmasının gerekliliğini vurgulamaktadır. Özellikle bakımın kültürel olarak aile içinde yürütüldüğü toplumlarda, çok yönlü bakımveren destek programlarına duyulan ihtiyacı öne çıkarmaktadır.
Anahtar Kelimeler: Bakım veren, demans, fiziksel sağlık, psikolojik iyilik hali, ikincil bakım veren.

Keywords

Bakım veren , demans , fiziksel sağlık , psikolojik iyilik hali , ikincil bakım veren

Impact of a Secondary Caregiver on the Well-Being of Primary Family Caregivers of People with Dementia: A Focus on Physical and Psychological Aspects

Abstract

Objective: The global number of people with dementia is rising, requiring caregivers from early disease stages. However, the effect of having a secondary caregiver on the primary caregiver’s physical and psychological well-being is unclear. This study aimed to compare primary caregivers with and without a secondary caregiver in terms of physical and psychological parameters.
Material and method: This cross-sectional study included 61 primary family caregivers of people with dementia living in Izmir. Based on their caregiving arrangements, participants were categorized into two groups: those caregiving alone (n=26; 42.6%) and those caregiving with a secondary caregiver (n=35; 57.4%). Physical well-being was assessed using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (musculoskeletal disorders), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (physical activity), and Fatigue Severity Scale (fatigue). Psychological well-being was evaluated with the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref and Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview scales.
Results: No significant differences were found in psychological measures between groups. However, physical well-being differences were observed. Caregivers without a secondary caregiver spent a significantly higher percentage of their day sitting due to caregiving tasks (p=0.020). They also reported more musculoskeletal symptoms in the spine (p=0.05), upper limbs (p=0.046), and lower limbs (p=0.019) over the past week.
Conclusion: The presence of a secondary caregiver is linked to better physical well-being but does not significantly impact psychological wellbeing among caregivers of people with dementia. These results underscore the need to provide physical support to caregivers to maintain their well-being. These findings highlight the need for multi-faceted caregiver support programs, particularly in contexts where informal caregiving is culturally embedded.
Keywords: Caregiver, dementia, physical well-being, psychological well-being, secondary caregiver.

Keywords

Caregiver , dementia , physical well-being , psychological well-being , secondary caregiver

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