BURDEN OF INFORMAL CAREGIVER OF FUNCTIONALLY DEPENDENT PATIENTS TREATED AT THE PHYSIOTHERAPY CLINIC OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN PARANÁ
Keywords:
Informal Caregivers, Functional Dependence, Caregiver BurdenAbstract
Introduction: Addiction occurs when a person needs help from another or equipment to perform daily activities, due to illnesses, accidents, or disabilities. This condition affects not only the dependent, but also the family and the caregiver, usually informal and without training or remuneration. With the aging of the population and the increase in chronic diseases, the demand for family caregivers has grown, making it relevant to study the burden they face. Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the level of emotional, social and physical burden of caregivers of functional dependent patients treated at the Physical Therapy Clinic of UENP. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2023 and July 2024, with 37 caregivers of functional dependent patients undergoing physical therapy treatment at UENP. Participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Informal Caregiver Burden Assessment Questionnaire (QASCI), which assesses seven domains of burden. Data analysis was performed based on means, percentages, and standard deviation. Results: About 72.96% of the caregivers had severe or extremely severe burden, while 27.07% had moderate burden. The highest levels of burden were in the "reaction to demands" (11.70 ± 5.66) and "emotional burden" (9.24 ± 5.01) domains, while other domains, such as "family support" (2.51 ± 1.46), had lower levels. Conclusion: The data show that the dependence and role of informal caregivers have a great impact on both caregivers and their families, with most facing a severe and extremely severe burden. The main factors of overload are linked to the perception of defense mechanisms, emotional overload and reactions to demands.
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Copyright (c) 2024 Larissa Maria Rodrigues Luiz, Lara Gomes Ribeiro, Maria Clara de Almeida Bergamini da Silva, Elisa Fernanda de Oliveira Bueno, Camila Costa de Araujo Pellizzari, Joyce Karla Machado da Silva

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.