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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
O presente estudo tem como objectivo avaliar a sobrecarga física, emocional e
social dos cuidadores informais de idosos com Doença de Alzheimer e explorar o
funcionamento familiar destes, antes e depois, do aparecimento da doença.
Para tal, foi aplicado, a 91 cuidadores informais de idosos com Doença de
Alzheimer, os questionários de sobrecarga do cuidador informal (QASCI) (Martins,
Ribeiro & Garrett, 2006) e a Escala de Avaliação da Flexibilidade e Coesão Familiar
(FACES IV) (Olson, 2011).
A análise dos resultados demonstrou que a maioria dos cuidadores informais são
do sexo feminino e filhas dos doentes, sendo que a maioria dispõe de apoio formal para
lidar com a situação do familiar. Foram encontrados efeitos de interacção em duas das
dimensões do questionário de sobrecarga do cuidador informal bem como efeitos
principais em todas as dimensões do instrumento. No que concerne à duração dos
cuidados prestados, não foram verificadas diferenças estatisticamente significativas pelo
que não podemos afirmar que o tempo como cuidador se relaciona com a sobrecarga
física, emocional e social. Além disto, os resultados sugeriram efeitos de interacção
numa das dimensões da Escala de Avaliação da Flexibilidade e Coesão Familiar e
efeitos principais em todas as dimensões da mesma. As conclusões e limitações do
estudo são apresentadas e discutidas.
This study aims to evaluate the physical, emotional, and social burden of informal caregivers of elderly people with Alzheimer’s Disease as well as explore how their families function, before and after the emergence of the disease. For these purposes the Assessment Questionnaire of Caregiver Burden (QASCI) (Martins, Ribeiro & Garrett, 2006) and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES-IV) (Olson, 2011), were applied to 91 ICs of elderly people with Alzheimer’s Disease. The results suggest that most of the informal caregivers are female and daughters of the sick elderly person they attend to, most of them having access to formal support in dealing with their family situation. Effects of interaction were found in two dimensions of questionnaire of caregiver burden as well as main effects in all dimensions. About the duration of care giving, there were no statistically significant differences, which prevent us from alleging that the time spent as an informal caregiver relates to physical, emotional, and social burden. Furthermore, the results suggest interaction effects in one of the dimensions of the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale and main effects in all of the scales’ dimensions. The study’s conclusions as well as its limitations are presented and discussed.
This study aims to evaluate the physical, emotional, and social burden of informal caregivers of elderly people with Alzheimer’s Disease as well as explore how their families function, before and after the emergence of the disease. For these purposes the Assessment Questionnaire of Caregiver Burden (QASCI) (Martins, Ribeiro & Garrett, 2006) and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES-IV) (Olson, 2011), were applied to 91 ICs of elderly people with Alzheimer’s Disease. The results suggest that most of the informal caregivers are female and daughters of the sick elderly person they attend to, most of them having access to formal support in dealing with their family situation. Effects of interaction were found in two dimensions of questionnaire of caregiver burden as well as main effects in all dimensions. About the duration of care giving, there were no statistically significant differences, which prevent us from alleging that the time spent as an informal caregiver relates to physical, emotional, and social burden. Furthermore, the results suggest interaction effects in one of the dimensions of the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale and main effects in all of the scales’ dimensions. The study’s conclusions as well as its limitations are presented and discussed.
Description
Dissertação de Mestrado em Psicologia Clínica apresentada ao ISPA - Instituto Universitário
Keywords
Cuidadores informais Doença de Alzheimer Sobrecarga Coesão familiar Flexibilidade familiar Informal caregivers Alzheimer’s disease Caregiver burden Cohesion and flexibility