Medisur (Jun 2017)
Health beliefs and overload perception in caregivers of patients with advanced oncological diseases
Abstract
Foundation: Cancer is one of the most severe health problems worldwide, due to its incidence and physical and psychological involvement to the individual and his family, especially to the primary caregiver, who stays with the patient suffering his illness. Objective: To determine health beliefs and overload perception in caregivers of patients with with advanced oncological diseases. Methods: Cross exploratory study Developer in 2015 at the Rodas municipality, Cienfuegos province which included ten intentionally selected caregivers of patients with advanced oncological diseases. Variables as age, sex, and time as a caregiver were analyzed. The Zarit scale of caregiver overload and the Model of health beliefs were applied. Results: All caregivers were adults between 46 and 55 years old, nine female and 1 male. They played the role in a period ranging from 6 months to a year time, with the perception of intense overload. They perceive a threatening to their health due to their performance and identify barriers and problems in the spiritual and material support from sanitary personnel and lack of information to play their role successfully. They recognize as a benefit the need of a clear communication to provide information and the identification of another relative who collaborates in patient care giving to fulfil the saying of caring the care giver. Conclusion: Care givers to patients with advanced oncological diseases are affected due to their performance of their role in the dimensions which composed the models of health beliefs.
