Quality of life of caregivers of individuals with acquired neurological disorders
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23925/2176-2724.2025v37i1e68276Keywords:
Caregivers, Dementia, Stroke, Indicators of Quality of LifeAbstract
Introduction: Acquired neurological changes are stressful events for both the patient and their family caregivers. In many cases, patients are attended to by informal caregivers - non-specialists - thus, these caregivers require support to learn how to care for the patient and balance caregiving with their personal lives. Objective: To identify predictive factors of the quality of life among informal caregivers of individuals with acquired neurological disorders. Methods: Observational, cross-sectional study with quantitative analysis. Data collection was conducted via an online survey, which included questions on sociodemographic and health data of the caregivers. The WHOQOL-Bref and Zarit Burden Interview scales were employed. Participants were informal caregivers of individuals with acquired neurological conditions, of any gender, aged over 18 years, and who had been the primary caregiver for at least 6 months. Multiple linear regression was used for statistical analysis, with a significance level set at 5%. Results: The sample consisted of 144 informal caregivers, predominantly women with an average age of 43.7 years. Of these, 51.3% were children, with completed higher education and employed. The Caregiver burden was assessed as mild to moderate in 42.36% of caregivers. This study compiled predictors of quality of life among informal caregivers: burden level, sleep difficulties, presence of health problems, diagnosis of anxiety or depression, caregiving duration, family income, and patient use of a feeding tube. Conclusions: The level of burden, difficulty sleeping, the presence of health problems, the diagnosis of anxiety or depression, the time of care, family income and the use of a feeding tube by the patient were predictors for the quality of life of informal caregivers.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Tâmara Figueiredo do Carmo Santos, Raphaela Barroso Guedes Granzotti, Ademir Antonio Comerlatto Junior, Mariane Perin da Silva Comerlatto, Gabriela Eduarda Nicásio Gomes Fontes, Carla Patricia Hernandez Alves Ribeiro Cesar, Kelly da Silva
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