Caregiver burnout in parents of children with neurogenic bladder: Prevalence and determinants.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence and determinants of caregiving burnout among parents of children with neurogenic bladder in China.

METHODS

A multi-center, cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2022 to March 2024. A total of 238 parents of children with NB from tertiary hospitals in Shenzhen, Wuhan, Zhengzhou, and Chongqing were enrolled. Validated scales were used to assess parenting burnout, work-family conflict, co-parenting quality, and psychological capital. Multiple linear regression and interaction analyses were performed to identify key predictors.

RESULTS

The mean parental burnout score was (96.11 ± 26.96), with 28.6 % of parents experiencing high burnout. Significant predictors included lower educational level (β = -0.254, p < 0.001), gender of parents (β = 0.153, p = 0.001), lower monthly income (β = -0.166, p = 0.001), higher work-family conflict (β = 0.194, p < 0.001), poorer co-parenting (β = -0.232, p < 0.001), and lower psychological capital (β = -0.167, p = < 0.001). Disease severity and time since diagnosis interacted with income to exacerbate burnout in low-income families.

CONCLUSION

Parents of children with NB experience high levels of caregiving burnout, influenced by socioeconomic, psychological, and family-system factors. Targeted interventions-such as financial aid, psychological support, and co-parenting programs-are urgently needed to mitigate burnout and improve family outcomes.