Background: Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) in children imposes a significant caregiving burden on parents, affecting their psychological and social well-being. Understanding this burden and its associated factors is crucial for improving family-cantered diabetes care. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the level of caregiver burden among parents of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and explore its association with sociodemographic, clinical, and management-related factors. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted at Dr. Jamal Ahmad Rashid Pediatric Teaching Hospital in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, between November 2024 and February 2025. A total of 160 parents of children with T1DM were recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, including the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), and analyzed using descriptive statistics, as well as Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: The mean ZBI score was 42.51 ± 14.47 (range: 5–83). Most caregivers experienced mild-to-moderate (41.9%) or moderate-to-severe (38.8%) burden, while 13.1% reported severe burden. Burden levels were significantly associated with caregiver education (P-value 0.001), employment (P-value 0.034), economic status (P-value < 0.0001), child age (P-value 0.003), disease duration (P-value 0.003), and insulin administration responsibility (P-value 0.005). Conclusion: Caregivers of children with T1DM experience a considerable burden influenced by socioeconomic, educational, and disease-related factors. Targeted psychosocial support, structured diabetes education, and community-based interventions are essential to reduce caregiver stress and enhance family well-being.
Ali et al. (Thu,) studied this question.