Analysis of the psychosocial and functional impact of patients’ illness on primary caregivers in a tertiary care hospital in South Gujarat

Chetna Patel
Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Surat 395001, India
Arpita Nishal
Department of Pathology, Government Medical College, Surat 395001, India
Paras Shah
Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Surat 395001, India
Chetankumar Acharya
Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Surat 395001, India

Article ID: 4478

Keywords: caregiver burden, family caregivers, financial stress, psychosocial impact, quality of life, social support

Abstract

Family caregivers play a foundational role in patient care, but they often face high physical, psychosocial and financial burden, especially in areas where resources are limited, and this burden remains underrecognised. As the patient’s disease progresses further, this burden increases and harms the primary caregiver’s well-being, which ultimately affects patient care. This study aimed to assess these burdens, identify unmet needs and support gaps faced by primary caregivers during the period of the patient’s hospitalisation. This cross-sectional survey was conducted from September 2025 to October 2025 in a tertiary care hospital. 107 caregivers were recruited using non-probability sampling, and data were collected by interviewing participants. The interview questionnaire contained items assessing emotional, physical, financial and social burden. Appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical methods were used to analyse the data. Most caregivers were men (57.94%) and between 31 and 50 years old (47.66%). Many caregivers reported feeling anxious or worried (66.35%) and sad or depressed (34.58%). Some caregivers reported that their health was affected (21.50%), and many occasionally neglected their health (59.81%). Financial strain was a concern for 38.31%, and 11.21% had to reduce or quit their jobs. The survey found that monthly income was significantly linked to burden (p = 0.046). Findings suggest caregiver burden is a public health issue that is often ignored, and caregivers should be screened and provided with support. Caregivers are like "invisible patients," and their well-being directly affects patient outcomes; hence, we need to pay more attention to them in clinics and policy-making.

Published

2026-08-12

How to Cite

Patel, C., Nishal, A., Shah, P., & Acharya, C. (2026). Analysis of the psychosocial and functional impact of patients’ illness on primary caregivers in a tertiary care hospital in South Gujarat. Applied Psychology Research, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.59400/apr4478

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Vol. 5 No. 2 (2026)

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Article

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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