Objective  To explore the burden of care and its influencing factors among major caregivers of bedridden patients.

  Methods  We conducted a survey among 338 major caregivers of bedridden inpatients selected with convenient sampling in two grade A tertiary hospitals between October 2016 and February 2017. A self-designed demographics questionnaire for caregivers and bedridden patients, Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview-Chinese Version and a pressure sore care behavior scale were used in the survey.

  Results  For the major caregivers, the score of overall care burden was 51.27 ± 15.20; the average score of responsibility burden was 14.60 ± 4.95 and the average score of personal burden was 29.12 ± 8.15. Of all the caregivers, 94.1% (318) reported care burden to some extent and 79.6% (269) reported a moderate or heavy burden. There was a positive correlation between care burden and care behavior (r = 0.347, P < 0.05). The influencing factors of the care burden for the major caregivers were the age of the inpatient being cared (standard regression coefficient = 0.146), whether the inpatient being supplied with an air-cushion bed (standard regression coefficient = – 0.105), education level of the inpatient (standard regression coefficient = – 0.171), the number of chronic diseases (standard regression coefficient = 0.125). The age of a major caregiver (standard regression coefficient = 0.321), caring time per day (standard regression coefficient = 0.118), and pressure sore care behavior (standard regression coefficient = 0.255) together could explain 35.3% of total variation.

  Conclusion  Nursing staff should know the degree and influence factors of care burden for major caregivers of bedridden inpatients in order to carry out targeted guidance to alleviate caregivers' burden.