Sarwat Sultan, Shabbih Fatima, Frasat Kanwal.
The extent of burden and well being among caregivers of cardiac patients: perceived social support as mediator.
Pak Heart J Jan ;51(1):25-9.

Objective: To explore the mediating effects of social support on caregivers'burden and well being they experienced while caring for cardiovascular patients. Methodology: This study was conducted at Cardiology Centre Multan from 23 May to 15 September, 2016. Caregivers of cardiovascular patients were approached to assess the mediating role of social support between the burden experienced by caregivers and their level of well being. The caregivers of only those cardiovascular patients who were hospitalized were included in the study.The caregivers of patients at home were not the participants of this study. Thus caregivers of cardiac patients provided data on Zarit Burden Interview scale, Caregiver Well-being Scale, and Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey. Results: A total of 257 caregivers of cardiovascular patients provided data on study measures. Pathway analysis on structure equation model supported the mediating effect of social support between burden and well being of caregivers.Results demonstrated that caregivers' burden is negatively associated with their well-being (r=-.48, p>.01) and social support (r=-.37, p>.01); while perceived social support is positively related with well being of caregivers (r=.41, p>.01).Findings also reported the mediating effects of social support (emotional support.39, tangible support .22, positive social interaction .20, affectionate support.35, and overall social support .44) caregivers' well being. Conclusion: Present findings supporting the hypothesized model confirmed that social support mediated the relationship of burden with well-being of caregivers. It implied that if caregivers of cardiac patients receive social support in forms of emotional, tangible, positive social interaction, affection may experience low impact of care-giving burden on their well-being.

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