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Need for caregivers among people living with mental disorders: an ecological study

Abstract

Objective

To identify users of a Psychosocial Care Center who have caregiver dependence and their associated factors.

Method

This is an ecological study, with collection of secondary data from medical records of people living with mental disorders, which occurred in 2018 in a Psychosocial Care Center in the Brazilian Midwest. In the analysis, the dependent variable “need for caregiver” was used as a dependent variable.

Results

In the sample of 360 medical records, there was a prevalence of women (220; 61.1%), aged between 35 and 59 years (190; 52.8%), treatment time ≤5 years (164; 45.6%), care provided by family/friends (162; 45.0%), main diagnosis of psychotic disorders (128; 35.6%) and antipsychotic use (275; 76.4%). In the multiple analysis, the variables non-literacy/elementary school (p=0.041), having psychotic disorder (p=0.009) and antidepressant (p=0.026) remained associated.

Conclusion

The study pointed out that factors such as being men, non-literate/elementary school, having a psychotic disorder and using antidepressants have higher rates of dependence on care and should be considered and investigated by the Psychosocial Care Center team.

Caregivers; Family; Mental health; Drug utilization; Social support

Escola Paulista de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de São Paulo R. Napoleão de Barros, 754, 04024-002 São Paulo - SP/Brasil, Tel./Fax: (55 11) 5576 4430 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: actapaulista@unifesp.br