**10.2 Gender difference in duration of care**

*Suggestions for Addressing Clinical and Non-Clinical Issues in Palliative Care*

**108**

**G** F

10–20

22

Married

79

Primary (Basic)

22 (8.5)

Employed

89

3–8

16 (6.2)

<1

67 (25.8)

(34.2)

(30.)

(8.5)

21–30

31

Single

93

Secondary (high)

31

Un-employed

31

9–12

145

1–2

90 (34.6)

(55.8)

(11.9)

(11.9)

(35.8)

(11.9)

31–40

63

Divorced

10

Tertiary

77

Business/

79

13–24

38

2–3

32 (12.3)

(14.6)

(30.4)

(29.6)

farming

(3.8)

(24.2)

41–50

46

Widowed

8 (3.1)

Never been to school

20 (7.7)

Employed

89

—

—

>3

10 (3.8)

(34.2)

(17.7)

>51

37

Living together/

9 (3.5)

Left school for

49

Un-employed

31

—

—

—

—

(11.9)

**199 (76.5)**

**199 (76.5)**

**199 (76.5)**

(18.8)

caregiving

**199 (76.5)**

domestic partner

**199 (76.5)**

(14.2)

T M

10–20

3

Married

34

Primary (Basic)

4 (1.5)

Employed

11 (4.2)

3–8

36

<1

34 (13.1)

(13.8)

(13.1)

(1.2)

21–30

8

Single

15

Secondary (high)

16 (6.2)

Un-employed

29

9–12

17 (6.5)

1–2

19 (7.3)

(11.2)

(5.8)

(3.1)

31–40

22

Divorced

4 (1.5)

Tertiary

28

Business/

21 (8.1)

13–24

8 (3.1)

2–3

6 (2.3)

(10.8)

farming

(8.5)

41–50

15

Widowed

5 (1.9)

Never been to school

2 (0.8)

Employed

—

—

—

>3

2 (0.8)

(5.8)

>51

13

Living together/

3 (1.2)

Left school for

11 (4.2)

Un-employed

—

—

—

—

—

caregiving

**61 (23.5)**

**61 (23.5)**

**61 (23.5)**

**61 (23.5)**

domestic partner

**61 (23.5)**

(5.0)

T

**61 (23.5)** *Note: G, gender; F, female; M, male; T, total.*

**Table 1.** *The socio-demographic characteristics of caregiver respondents.*

**199 (76.5)**

**Age (years)**

**Marital status**

**Educational qualification**

**Occupation**

**Duration of care** 

**Years of care**

**Range n (%)**

**(hr/day)**

**Range n (%)**

**Type n (%)**

**Type n(%)**

**Type n (%)**

**Range n (%)**

Gender difference existed in the duration of care provided for PLWHA. The least duration 3–8 hours was spent by 36 (13.8) male caregivers while only 16 (6.2) female caregivers spent the same. 9–12 hours majority were spent by 145 (55.8) female caregivers. 13–24 hours of care was provided mostly by 38 (14.6) female caregivers. With reference to the years spent in caregiving, the majority 90 (34.6) female caregivers spent between 1 and 2 years, while the least 10 (3.8) female and 2 (0.8) male caregivers provided care to PLWHA for more than three years (**Table 1**).

**Table 2** describes the household income as well the number of people in the household. The majority 130 (50%) family caregivers of PLWHA lived below a household income of US\$6.00/day while only 15 (5.8%) family caregivers spent US\$14.00 and above. The majority 153 (58.9%) lived in a household with about three to six members and only about 19 (7.3%) lived in small households with one to three persons (**Table 2**).

**Table 3** describes gender difference in the level of burden among family caregivers of PLWHA ranging between 14 and 71 on ZBI Scale (**Table 3**); among the 49 (18.8%) caregivers that experienced no burden, the majority were females 39 (15.0) while 10 (3.9%) males. The 46 (17.7) female caregivers experienced mild to moderate while providing care. Ninety-three (35.8) caregivers experienced moderate to severe burden and the majority 69 (26.6) were females. Fifty-one (19.6%) family caregivers experienced severe level of burden in providing care to PLWHA and majority 45 (17.3) caregivers were females.


#### **Table 2.**

*Household income and the number of people in the household.*


#### **Table 3.**

*The distribution of burden on Zarit burden interview (ZBI) scale.*


#### **Table 4.**

*The relationship between gender and caregivers burden.*

Significant statistical relationship existed between gender and caregivers burden assessed with the students *t* test. Calculated *t* test value of 1.27 at *p* < 0.05, indicated a significant relationship between the levels of burden experienced by gender (**Table 4**).
