OBJECTIVE: We aimed to analyze the association between the demographic variables of interest and the self-rated health of family caregivers and to describe the functionality of older adults hospitalized in a university hospital in the Amazonian context.
METHODS: This cross-sectional, quantitative, exploratory, and descriptive study was carried out through individual interviews with 98 interviewees, divided into 49 family caregivers and 49 older adults hospitalized in the surgical clinic sector of a university hospital in Brazil between February and March 2023. Demographic data and health conditions were collected from family caregivers, and to describe the functionality of hospitalized older adults, the Barthel Index was applied. Descriptive (frequency and percentage) and inferential analyses were used, and the student t test was applied. The significance level of 5% was adopted.
RESULTS: Among the 49 family caregivers, the majority were women (n=40, 81.6%) with an average age of 46.9 (SD 13.3) years. Most were single (n=28, 57.1%) and had completed an average level of education (n=26, 53.1%). Additionally, 25 (51%) caregivers were caring for their parents. Regarding health conditions, respondents self-assessed their health as good (25/49, 51%; P=.01), and they considered that their health status was not affected by the provision of care (36/49, 73.5%; P=.01). There was a significant association between demographic variables (ie, gender, age, and education) and self-assessment of family caregivers (P=.01, P=.01, and P=.04, respectively). Of the 49 older adults hospitalized, the majority (n=31, 63.2%) were men, with a mean age of 69.2 (SD 7.12) years. Regarding the assessment of functionality, most older adults were classified as having mild dependence on care (n=23, 46.9%), specifically in the age group between 60 and 69 years (21/49, 67.8%).
CONCLUSIONS: The data revealed that female gender, age, and education of family caregivers contributed favorably to the provision of care to hospitalized older adults with a lower degree of functional dependence. It is important to emphasize that during the older adult\'s hospitalization, the family caregiver should not be seen as a delegation of responsibilities or as a complement of human resources to assist in their recovery. Health professionals need to implement assertive interventions so that the family caregiver functions as a therapeutic resource.
目的:我们旨在分析感兴趣的人口统计学变量与家庭护理人员自评健康状况之间的关联,并描述在亚马逊地区一所大学医院住院的老年人的功能。
方法:这个横截面,定量,探索性,描述性研究是通过对98名受访者的个人访谈进行的,2023年2月至3月期间,在巴西一家大学医院的外科诊所部门住院的49名家庭护理人员和49名老年人。从家庭照顾者那里收集了人口数据和健康状况,并描述住院老年人的功能,应用了Barthel指数。使用描述性(频率和百分比)和推理分析,并应用学生t检验。采用5%的显著性水平。
结果:在49名家庭照顾者中,大多数为女性(n=40,81.6%),平均年龄为46.9(SD13.3)岁.大多数是单身(n=28,57.1%),并且完成了平均教育水平(n=26,53.1%)。此外,25(51%)的照顾者正在照顾他们的父母。关于健康状况,受访者自我评估他们的健康状况良好(25/49,51%;P=0.01),他们认为他们的健康状况不受提供护理的影响(36/49,73.5%;P=.01)。人口统计学变量之间存在显著关联(即,性别,年龄,和教育)和家庭护理人员的自我评估(分别为P=.01,P=.01和P=.04)。在住院的49名老年人中,大多数(n=31,63.2%)是男性,平均年龄为69.2(SD7.12)岁。关于功能评估,大多数老年人被归类为对护理有轻度依赖(n=23,46.9%),特别是在60至69岁之间的年龄组(21/49,67.8%)。
结论:数据显示,女性性别,年龄,家庭护理人员的教育有助于为功能依赖程度较低的住院老年人提供护理。重要的是要强调,在老年人住院期间,家庭照顾者不应被视为责任的下放或人力资源的补充,以协助他们的康复。卫生专业人员需要实施果断的干预措施,以便家庭护理人员充当治疗资源。