| ObjectiveThe purpose of the study was to describe the burden of the chronic heart failure family caregivers and analyze its important influencing factors, so that we can choose effective methods to reduce caregiver burden.MethodsA descriptive study was conducted. The 111 chronic heart failure patients and their caregivers participated in the study by convenient sampling method. Investigation instruments including:the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of patients and caregivers, the ADL(Activity of Daily Living Scale), ZBI(Zarit Burden Interview), the SSRS(Social Support rate scale). Data were analyzed by using SPSS 16.0.Results1. The scores of ZBI ranged from 6 to 76, the mean score was 28.27±12.87, the median score was 26.00,18.9% subjects perceived high burden and 81.1% subjects perceived low burden.2. Statistically significant relations were found between the following condition factors and caregiver burden:patients'medical insurance, numbers of co-morbidity, ADL level, caregivers'sex, living condition and caregivers'social support. Multiple regression analysis showed that the main influencing factors including patients' numbers of co-morbidity, ADL level, caregivers'sex, living condition and caregivers' social support.Conclusions1. Family caregivers of CHF showed a low burden in ZBI. The main influencing factors of burden were:patients'numbers of co-morbidity, ADL level, caregivers'sex, living condition and caregivers'social support.2. Involving the CHF patients in the cardiac Rehabilitation exercise to improve their ADL; Health agency can provider support of related heart disease knowledge and prevention methods to the patients and caregivers improving the caregiving skills; A continuous medical service should be offered to the outpatient, and the caregivers should have a good use of community medical care, reducing the readmission times; Attention should be paid to female caregivers, in this way,the caregiver burden may be decreased.
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