Background

Caring for patients with coronary artery bypass grafting causes a care burden in caregivers.

Objectives

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of training on the care burden of family caregivers of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

Material and methods

This quasi-experimental design was conducted at the Heart Training-Medical Centre of the Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, west of Iran. The participants included 100 people (two groups of 50) of family caregivers of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, selected using the convenience sampling method. Data was collected using the Novak and Guest care burden questionnaire. Caregiver training was held in three face-to-face sessions and over two telephone calls. Caregivers completed the questionnaire prior to and one month after the discharge of the patients.

Results

There was no statistically significant difference in care burden and its dimensions (except for emotional care burden) between the control and intervention groups before the intervention (p > 0.05). However, after the intervention, the mean scores of care burden and its dimensions (time-dependence care burden, developmental care burden, physical care burden, social care burden and emotional care burden) significantly decreased in the intervention group compared to the control group (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Training caregivers reduces the care burden of family caregivers of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.