Keywords: Home Health Care Services, Patient Care, Pressure Injury, Psychological Resilience

Background:

As advances in medical care continue to extend life expectancy, the number of individuals requiring long-term care has increased, leading to more frequent challenges such as pressure injuries and caregiver burden.

Research questions:

Is there an association between caregivers (CG) psychological resilience and the presence of pressure injuries in care recipients (CR)?

Method:

This cross-sectional descriptive study included 230 fully bedridden care recipients who had been completely dependent on care for at least one year and were registered with Home Health Care (HHC) units in the city center, along with their primary CG. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews conducted during home visits. CR were physically examined for the presence of pressure injuries. Sociodemographic characteristics, features related to the caregiving process, and CG’s responses to the Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA) were recorded.

Results:

CG who were male, had someone to replace them when they went out, received support during the caregiving process, and temporarily lived with the CR had significantly higher total RSA scores. CG of CR without pressure injuries had significantly higher total RSA scores, particularly in the personal competence and family coherence subscales (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

The findings indicate that the presence of pressure injuries is a determining factor affecting CG’s psychological resilience.
CG, who are often overlooked during the caregiving process, require psychosocial support. Since family physicians evaluate individuals from a biopsychosocial perspective, the integration of primary health care services with HHC has the potential to create a multiplier effect on individual, family, and community health.

Points for discussion:

How can psychological factors that may reinforce psychological resilience in CG, such as optimism, personal growth, and spirituality, be developed?

How can the availability of a substitute CG be ensured during the caregiving process in order to enhance CG’s psychological resilience?