Caring ability of family caregivers of children with cancer/Habilidad de cuidado de cuidadores familiares de niños con cáncer

• Published in: Revista de salud pública (Bogotá, Colombia) Colombia), 2015-06, Vol.17 (3), p.394
• Main Authors: Carrillo G., Gloria M, Sanchez-Herrera, Beatriz, Barrera-Ortiz, Lucy
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• ISSN: 0124-0064
• DOI: 10.15446/rsap.v17n3.32408

Objective To describe the caring ability of family caregivers of children with cancer. Method This is a descriptive, exploratory study with a quantitative approach. A sample of 85 family caregivers of children with cancer was taken. After a characterization, they respondd to the Caring Ability Inventory adapted for family caregivers of people with chronic non-communicable disease. Results The family caregivers were characterized by age, gender, socioeconomic level, education level, family relationship with the care receiver, social support, time of experience, and burden of care generated by the degree of the receiver's illness. The overall caring ability was described, as well as the ability of each dimension, including knowledge, courage, and patience. Conclusions The principal family caregivers of children with cancer were mainly the mothers of the children with cancer. 70.6 % of them do not possess sufficient ability to take care of their children with cancer. 31.8 % of the group had a lower ability level. This finding, together with the demands of coping with the fact of having a child with cancer, can be a great burden to family caregivers and generate risk for the ill children under their care. Key Words: Caregivers, neoplasms, child (source: MeSH, NLM). Objetivo Determinar la habilidad de cuidado de cuidadores familiares de ninos con cancer. Metodos Estudio descriptivo exploratorio de abordaje cuantitativo. Se tomo una muestra de 85 cuidadores que una vez caracterizados respondieron el inventario de habilidad de cuidado adaptado para el cuidador familiar de personas con enfermedad cronica no trasmisible. Resultados Se caracterizan los cuidadores familiares por edad, genero, nivel socioeconomico, escolaridad, relacion con el familiar cuidado, elementos de soporte social, tiempo de experiencia y carga del cuidado generada por la discapacidad del receptor. Se reviso el nivel total de habilidad de cuidado y el de cada una de sus dimensiones: conocimiento, valor y paciencia. Conclusiones Los cuidadores principales son en su mayoria mujeres, madres de los ninos con cancer. El 70,6 % de ellas carece de la habilidad suficiente para cuidar a sus hijos con cancer, y 31,8 % tienen un nivel minimo de habilidad lo que sumado a las demandas de afrontar la realidad de tener un hijo con cancer, puede ser devastador para los cuidadores familiares y generar alto riesgo para los ninos a su cargo. Palabras Clave: Cuidadores, neoplasias, nino (fuente: DeCS, BIREME).