ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:
The importance to evaluate the informal caregiver profile is usually neglected in the face of the complaint of the patient with chronic pain, and because there is no data on informal caregivers in the Brazilian literature. The objective of this study was to elaborate the epidemiological and psychosocial description of caregivers of patients at the State Hospital Mário Covas in Santo André, SP.
METHODS:
Application of the general epidemiological profile questionnaire and WHOQOL-BREF translated, by telephone, to 33 informal caregivers of patients treated at the Outpatient Clinic of Chronic Pain at the State Hospital Mário Covas.
RESULTS:
The general evaluation of the quality of life of the studied population was from average to good (score of 64.01 - being zero = the worst quality of life and the 100 the best). With values above 60 for the physical domain (68.07), psychological (67.04), social relations (67.42) and environment (64.58). Care lasting on average for more than 5 years, with more than 8 hours per day and mostly by women, spouses, Catholic, aged between 30 and 60 years. Approximately 88% do not want another person to perform their activity.
CONCLUSION:
Caregivers have a quality of life from average to good. Informal care is mostly performed by women.
Keywords:
Chronic pain; Epidemiology; Informal caregivers; Psychosocial profile
