Qualidade de vida dos cuidadores de pacientes em cuidados paliativos

Abstract

Palliative Care officially emerged as a distinct practice in the field of health care in the 1960s in the United Kingdom, representing a milestone in end-of-life care by introducing an innovative approach that combined pain control, emotional support, and spiritual care for patients with terminal illnesses. Objective: To evaluate the quality of life and caregiver burden among caregivers of patients receiving palliative care. Methodology: This is a quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study aimed at assessing the quality of life and caregiver burden of caregivers of cancer patients in palliative care. The target population consisted of informal caregivers of patients hospitalized in the oncology ward of the Conjunto Hospitalar de Sorocaba. A non-probabilistic convenience sample was used, including caregivers aged 18 years or older who had been performing the caregiving role for at least three months and agreed to participate in the study. Three instruments were used: a sociodemographic questionnaire adapted from previous studies; the WHOQOL-100, which assesses quality of life across four domains (physical, psychological, social relationships, and environment); and the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), composed of 22 items that measure caregiver burden on a scale ranging from 0 to 88, with higher scores indicating greater burden. Results: The findings indicate a negative impact on quality of life, particularly in domains related to mental health, sleep, leisure, and social relationships. Data were collected to support the development of intervention proposals aimed at supporting and monitoring caregivers. The intention is not only to improve the quality of care provided to patients, but also to preserve the physical and emotional well-being of caregivers themselves, minimizing the effects of burden and promoting a more balanced and sustainable caregiving experience