Family Caregiving to AIDS Patients: The Role of Gender in Caregiver Burden in Uganda

The objectives of the study were: 1) What is the burden of care for male and female family caregivers of AIDS patients? and 2) Which factors influence the family care burden for AIDS patients at home? A questionnaire was completed by 29 male and 91 female family caregivers of AIDS patients living in four rural areas in western Uganda. Participating caregivers were selected from a patient list of the home-based care program for AIDS patients and then interviewed. The responses from the questionnaire were used to calculate care burden scores for caregivers of both genders and the scores in each group were compared. In addition, other factors relevant to the burden of family care were extracted and tested in bivariate and multivariate analysis to test whether they were predictors of the care burden. Results show that the care burden scores were high in all domains, except those regarding relationship within the families and substance abuse. Both male and female caregivers reported a similar care burden. Caregivers for spouses had higher care burden scores compared to those who cared for other relatives. The intensity of care was also a significant predictor of the care burden, while other factors such as age, duration of care, and cognitive function of the care recipient were not associated with the care burden score. The high burden of care-giving puts family caregivers at risk for a lower health status, social isolation and depression. As both male and female caregivers report similar care burden scores for the same responsibilities, men are not unduly overburdened with the family care of AIDS patients compared to women and should be more actively involved in the care-giving process at home