Burden of Care and Health Literacy of Caregivers in the Emergency Department

This study is planned to investigate the relationship between caregiver burden and health literacy among primary caregivers of patients with chronic diseases presenting to the emergency department. The role of primary caregivers in the management of chronic illnesses is critical, and their ability to access, understand, evaluate, and apply health-related information (health literacy) may influence both the quality of care provided and the utilization of emergency healthcare services.

The study will be conducted with at least 300 primary caregivers of patients admitted to the Emergency Department of Yalova Training and Research Hospital. Data will be collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Turkish Health Literacy Scale-32 (THLS-32), and the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). The findings are expected to contribute to the identification of caregiver needs and provide evidence for the development of healthcare policies aimed at improving caregiver support and promoting the more efficient use of emergency healthcare services.

The patient having visited the Yalova Training and Research Hospital Emergency Department.

Being at least 18 years of age. Being cognitively capable of answering the data collection tools (scales/questionnaires).

Volunteering to participate in the study and providing informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

Refusal to participate in the research voluntarily. Not being the primary caregiver for the patient. Inability to communicate or complete the scales due to cognitive or language barriers.

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