Difficulties Fulfilling Self-Care Needs Among Family Caregivers: An Observational Study

Gonzalo-Ciria, Laura ; Gascón-Catalán, Ana (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Laborda-Soriano, Ana A. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Cambra-Aliaga, Alba (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Ruiz-Garrós, María C. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Perez-de-Heredia-Torres, Marta

Resumen: Importance: Assuming the care of a family member with a disability or chronic illness constitutes a health risk factor for caregivers, who frequently overlook their own self-care.
Objective: To analyze the self-care activities (SCAs) among caregivers of a family member with a disability or chronic illness and assess the impact on their satisfaction and quality of life (QoL).
Design: Descriptive, cross-sectional, analytic study.
Setting: Community.
Participants: Five hundred caregivers of family members with a disability or chronic illness in the city of Zaragoza, Spain.
Outcomes and Measures: The family caregivers’ occupational performance and satisfaction were assessed with the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, and their QoL was assessed with the World Health Organization—Quality of Life.
Results: In total, 32.8% of family caregivers had difficulty in all activities related to self-care, 46.6% had difficulty sleeping and resting, 31.6% had difficulty receiving health-related treatments, and 31.2% had difficulty with physical exercise. Women and younger family caregivers showed greater impairment in self-care. Occupational performance, satisfaction, and QoL worsened as the number of affected activities increased.
Conclusions and Relevance: Caring for a family member with a disability or chronic illness has a negative impact on the SCAs of caregivers, especially among female caregivers and those of younger age. Caregiving is also associated with lower occupational performance, satisfaction, and QoL.
Plain-Language Summary: Caring for a family member with a disability or chronic illness can become a health risk for caregivers, who frequently ignore their own self-care. The study results found that women and younger family caregivers showed a greater decline in self-care. This study provides information to help occupational therapists to work with family caregivers to prevent a decline in their self-care and improve their quality of life.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.5014/ajot.2024.050528

Año: 2024

Publicado en: AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY 78, 3 (2024), [9 pp.]
ISSN: 0272-9490

Tipo y forma: Article (PostPrint)

Área (Departamento): Área Enfermería (Dpto. Fisiatría y Enfermería)
Área (Departamento): Área Fisioterapia (Dpto. Fisiatría y Enfermería)