Sobrecargas física, emocional e social dos cuidadores informais de idosos

Abstract

Objective: Assess the burden and identify the burden-related factors in home-baded informal caregivers of bedridden elderly attended by the Family Health Strategy. Methods: Analytical, cross-sectional study involving 208 informal caregivers. The data were collected between February and July 2017 by applying the characterization script and the Informal Caregiver Burden Assessment Questionnaire. For analysis purposes, the Statistical Package for the Social Science, version 20.0 was used. Descriptive (central trend and dispersion, absolute and relative frequency measures) and inferential (Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests; Spearman correlation test) statistics were applied. Results: The mean total burden score was 71.1 (±26.3). A statistically signifi cant difference was observed in the total burden and domain scores according to the variables: marital status of caregiver, degree of kinship with the elderly and all clinical variables of the caregivers. A positive correlation was registered between the burden and the caregiver's age and between the burden and number of daily hours spent on care. Conclusion: The burden was higher for the partners, caregivers with comorbidities, pain related to the activity performed and caregivers who considered their health as regular. ResumoObjetivo: Avaliar a sobrecarga e identifi car os fatores relacionados a sobrecarga em cuidadores informais de idosos acamados em domicílio assistidos pela Estratégia Saúde da Família. Métodos: Estudo analítico, transversal, desenvolvido com 208 cuidadores informais. A coleta de dados ocorreu no período de fevereiro a julho de 2017, por meio da aplicação do roteiro de caracterização e do Questionário de Avaliação da Sobrecarga do Cuidador Informal. Para análise utilizou-se o software Statistical Package for the Social Science, versão 20.0. Foram realizadas estatísticas descritivas (medidas de tendência central e dispersão, frequência absoluta e relativa) e inferenciais (teste de Mann-Whitney e Kruskal-Wallis; teste de correlação de Spearman). Resultados: A média total da sobrecarga foi de 71,1 (±26,3). Observou-se diferença estatística do escore total de sobrecarga e dos domínios que a compõe e as variáveis: estado civil do cuidador; grau de parentesco com o idoso e em todas as variáveis clínicas do cuidador. Registrou-se correlação positiva entre a sobrecarga e a idade do cuidador e entre a sobrecarga e horas do dia dedicadas ao cuidado. Conclusão: A sobrecarga foi maior para os cônjuges, os que apresentavam comorbidades, dores relacionadas à atividade desempenhada e para os que consideraram sua saúde regular. ResumenObjetivo: Evaluar la sobrecarga e identifi car los factores relacionados con la sobrecarga en cuidadores informales de ancianos acamados en domicilio, asistidos por la Estrategia Salud de la Familia. Métodos: Estudio analítico, transversal, desarrollado con 208 cuidadores informales. La recolección de datos ocurrió en el período de febrero a julio de 2017, por medio de la aplicación del guión de caracterización y del Cuestionario...

Comparison of social support network and expectation of care among elderly persons with different home arrangements

“…Lins et al 33 report that caregivers are mostly women (77%), spouses (39.9%) and reside with the elderly (85.7%). Another study indicates that caregivers tend to be women (40.4%); sons or daughters (56.3%), spouses (13%) and friends, neighbors, and those close to or who spend time with the elderly (10.1%), while 85.1% of caregivers of bedridden elderly persons live with the recipient of care 14 .…”

“…Family members tend to be closer and, therefore, are considered important when it comes to emotional support 14 , while a satisfactory perception of family support influences mental health and stress situations, as well as providing social welfare and feelings of safety and autonomy 28,31 . The researchers highlight that the network composed of family and friends is larger than the family network, in relation to sons and/or daughters who do not live with the elderly.…”

“…Support is usually provided by those with whom links have been maintained, such as family, friends, neighbors, and former co-workers, making up the informal social support network. In this context, the family occupies the main place of support in the care of the elderly [11][12][13][14][15] .…”

“…The social network is effective in daily social relations, taking the form of mutual and concrete support in financial, psychological and social contexts 16,17 . Sometimes, this is restricted to family members, whether in urban or rural areas, but it is in the latter that the relationship of daily care is most facilitated, due to geographical proximity 14,18 .…”

“…There are elderly people who need help from someone in performing certain tasks, especially those with the condition of dependence, lack of autonomy and other vulnerabilities. The social support network exists to provide them with personal care, hygiene and food when they are affected by disabling diseases 2,15 or bedridden 14 .…”