Impacts of Caring for Persons with Cancer on the Caregiver and Family Dynamics

Authors

Keywords:

caregivers, family, nursing, medical oncology, neoplasms.

Abstract

Introduction: The existence of a cancer patient within any family implies several challenges and leads to a necessity for reorganization of the whole family in order to provide care for this individual, sometimes ceasing to take care of themselves and generating new demands, often neglected.

Objective: To understand, from the perspective of family caregivers, how the process of caring for the person with cancer impacts the caregiver’s life and family dynamics.

Methods: Descriptive and exploratory study, with a qualitative approach, carried out, from December 2016 to January 2017, with family caregivers of people with cancer, in Viçosa City, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Data collection was carried out with seven family caregivers, using a guide with open questions and structured on the basis of the Zarit scale, which was interrupted when the data was saturated. The analysis was carried out using the content analysis technique.

Results: Family caregivers showed alterations in basic human needs related to the psychobiological, psychosocial and psychospiritual domains. Such aspects guide the actions of health professionals and validate the importance of holistic and humanitarian assistance for the caregiver, who also needs care.

Conclusions: Nursing professionals must act in planning actions that focus on educational, psychological, humanized, empathic and comprehensive support and health promotion, added to the family nucleus care plan, in order to minimize the physical, psychological and social exhaustion of the caregiver.


 

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Author Biographies

Mônica Maria Lopes do Carmo, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo

Enfermeira. Residente em Enfermagem na Saúde do Adulto e do Idoso na Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo

Erica Toledo de Mendonça, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Minas Gerais.

Docente do curso de Enfermagem do Departamento de Medicina e Enfermagem da Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brasil.

Deise Moura de Oliveira, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Minas Gerais

Docente do curso de Enfermagem do Departamento de Medicina e Enfermagem da Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brasil.

Andyara do Carmo Pinto Coelho Paiva, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais

Doutora em Enfermagem pela Universidade Federal de Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Professora da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais.

João Vitor Andrade, Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de São Paulo.

Enfermeiro. Residente em Enfermagem em Saúde Mental e Psiquiátrica na Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo

Ana Luiza Rodrigues Lins, Instituto Nacional do Câncer, Rio de Janeiro

Enfermeira. Residente no Programa de Residência Multiprofissional do Instituto Nacional do Câncer, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

Published

2021-07-19

How to Cite

1.
Lopes do Carmo MM, Toledo de Mendonça E, Moura de Oliveira D, Pinto Coelho Paiva A do C, Andrade JV, Rodrigues Lins AL. Impacts of Caring for Persons with Cancer on the Caregiver and Family Dynamics. Rev. cuba. enferm. [Internet]. 2021 Jul. 19 [cited 2025 Mar. 15];37(2). Available from: https://revenfermeria.sld.cu/index.php/enf/article/view/3679

Issue

Section

Original Investigation