Elderly caregivers of elderly: self perception about chronic pain in different levels of frailty

• Grant number: 15/06315-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2015
• End date: October 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nursing - Public Health Nursing
• Principal Investigator: Keika Inouye
• Grantee: Daiene de Morais
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Populational aging brings along a growing number of elderly people that give care to other elderly. Although stress and caregivers overload are variables frequently studied, other variables such as pain and frailty are still in need of investigation. This study purpose is to compare the pain perceptions of elderly caregivers in different frailty levels (non-frail, pre-frail, frail), being a quantitative, descriptive and transversal cut study. The participants will be elderly caregivers that attend the Family Health Units in the city of São Carlos (SP). The data will be gathered through interviews performed by members of the Health and Aging research group, taking place at the caregivers houses or other locations previously settled according to the participants convenience. The instruments utilized will be: Caregivers Social Demographic Characterization Record, Frailty Assessment Scale and Multidimensional Pain Assessment Scale (EMADOR). The data obtained will be inserted in a data bank in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows software so that descriptive and comparative statistical analysis can be run (Kruskal-Wallis). All steps of this study shall follow the guidelines of Resolution 196/96, 2012 version, and 466/2012.Key-words: caregivers, frail elderly, pain, gerontology.