Factors related to the burden of older caregivers in the context of high social vulnerability: a cross-sectional study

• Grant number: 23/03452-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2023
• End date: May 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nursing - Public Health Nursing
• Principal Investigator: Ariene Angelini dos Santos Orlandi
• Grantee: Rebeca Carvalho Bom
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Burden may come from performing the caregiving task unexpectedly, without prior training or help from other people, especially when there are no effective coping strategies. This scenario can be aggravated in a context of high social vulnerability and when it comes to older caregivers, which may impair the quality of life and the care offered. Based on the early identification of burden, assertive interventions, capable of minimizing the negative impacts and reducing the costs of health services, can be planned and implemented. Objectives: To analyze the sociodemographic, health and care context-related factors that are associated with the burden of older caregivers of other older people in a context of high social vulnerability. Method: cross-sectional, quantitative study, part of a larger research carried out in a countryside town of São Paulo, in which 65 older caregivers and 65 care receivers participated. The sample of the present study will be composed of all older caregivers (n=65) from the larger study database, except those who did not fully present the data related to the variables of interest. Descriptive and comparative analysis will be performed. Depending on the result obtained in the Kolmolgorov-Smirnov test, parametric or non-parametric tests will be adopted. The significance level will be 5% (p<0.05). Expected results: It is believed that female gender, older age, low education, presence of multimorbidity, not receiving help and offering care for several hours a day are associated with elderly caregivers burden. It is hoped that the findings of this research can mitigate the existing gap in the scientific literature and contribute to the planning of assertive interventions, capable of minimizing the negative impact on the lives of these caregivers.