Objective: The present study aims to examine the burden of care borne by the spouses of patients with celiac disease and the factors affecting it.

Material and Method: The study was carried out in the gastroenterology outpatient clinic of Sanko University Hospital. The study sample consisted of 72 patients with celiac disease, who applied to the outpatient clinic for regular follow-up between June and November 2019, and their spouses. The introductory Information Form, Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Health-Related Quality of Life Question-naire for Celiac Patients were used as the data collection tools. The questionnaires were applied by the researcher via face-to-face interviews. The data obtained were evaluated using a percentage and correlation analysis.

Results: The mean Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale score of the spouses of celiac patients was 49.18±16.81. There was a negative correlation between the monthly income of celiac patients and the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale mean scores. This correlation was significantly positive when it came to the time elapsed after diagnosis was made. There was a positive correlation between the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale mean scores of the patients and their spouses’ mean scores on the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale, and a negative correlation between the celiac patients’ mean scores for the Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire and their spouses’ mean scores on the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale.

Conclusion: In the study, it was found that the care burden of the spouses of celiac patients was moderate. It was concluded that the monthly income of the patients, the time elapsed after the diagnosis of celiac disease, the level of anxiety and depression, and quality of life affected the burden of care, and that quality of life was the factor that affected it most. It was thought that reducing the burden of care borne by caregivers would positively affect the treatment process of patients diagnosed with celiac disease.