Factors related to the quality of life of older adults caregivers of the older adults: cross-sectional study

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21527/2176-7114.2025.50.15113

Keywords:

Caregivers, Quality of life, Aged, Health of the elderly, Health policy

Abstract

Objective: To assess the factors associated with the quality of life of 282 senior caregivers who care for older family members. Method: A quantitative, cross-sectional study conducted through data collection in 2014, using a protocol consisting of the following instruments: sociodemographic questionnaire, Katz Index, Lawton and Brody Scale, CASP-19, Zarit Burden Inventory, Geriatric Depression Scale, Frailty Assessment (based on a five-component phenotype), Spirituality Scale, and Coping Strategies Inventory. Results: The majority of participants were married women who had been caring for their spouses for an average of 9.6 years. It was observed that older caregivers with lower burden levels were 246% more likely to report better quality of life, and for those without depressive symptoms, this likelihood increased to 527%. Non-frail individuals had a 154% higher chance of perceiving better quality of life, as did those with higher levels of spirituality and stronger coping strategies, who showed 65% and 9% greater likelihood, respectively. Conclusion: The findings highlight that a better quality of life is associated with key factors such as lower frailty and caregiver burden, especially in the absence of depressive symptoms. This underscores the importance of evaluating, identifying, preventing, and implementing when necessary through targeted interventions addressing these factors.

References

1. Jesus ITMD, Orlandi AADS, Zazzetta MS. Sobrecarga, perfil e cuidado: cuidadores de idosos em vulnerabilidade social. Rev Bras Geriatr Gerontol. 2018;21(2):194-204. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1981-22562018021.170155

2. Dadalto EV, Cavalvante FG. O lugar do cuidador familiar de idosos com doença de Alzheimer: uma revisão de literatura no Brasil e Estados Unidos. Ciênc Saúde Colet. 2021;26(1): 147-157. https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-81232020261.38482020

3. Diniz MAA, Melo BRS, Neri KH, Casemiro FG, Figueiredo LC, Gaioli CCLO et al. Estudo comparativo entre cuidadores formais e informais de idosos. Ciênc Saúde Colet. 2018;23(11):3789-3798. https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-812320182311.16932016

4. Flesch LD, Batistoni SST, Neri AL, Cachioni M. Fatores associados à qualidade de vida de idosos que cuidam de outros idosos. Rev Bras Geriatr Gerontol. 2019;22(3):e180155. https://doi.org/10.1590/1981-22562019022.180155

5. Costa MBAL, Paúl MCLF, Azevedo MJTC, Gomes JCR. Motivações dos cuidadores informais de pessoas com demência e o paradoxo do cuidado. REAS/EJCH. 2019;11(18):e2620. https://doi.org/10.25248/reas.e2620.2019

6. Terassi M, Rossetti ES, Luchesi BM, Gramani-Say K, Hortense P, Pavarini SCI. Fatores associados aos sintomas depressivos em idosos cuidadores com dor crônica. Rev Bras Enferm. 2020;73(1):e20170782. https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2017-0782

7. Kobayasi DK, Rodrigues RAP, Fhon JRS, Silva LM, Souza AC, Chayamiti EMPC. Sobrecarga, rede de apoio social e estresse emocional do cuidador do idoso. Av Enferm. 2019;37(2):140-148. https://doi.org/10.15446/av.enferm.v37n2.73044

8. Silva RM, Borges RT, Gonçalves JL, Bezerra IC, Vieira LJES, Saintrain MVL. A religiosidade no amparo ao cuidador de idoso dependente. CIAIQ. 2019; 2:1778-1783. https://proceedings.ciaiq.org/index.php/CIAIQ2019/article/view/2446/2346

9. Oliveira JFD, Delfino LL, Batistoni SST, Neri AL, Cachioni M. Qualidade de vida de idosos que cuidam de outros idosos com doenças neurológicas. Rev Bras Geriatr Gerontol. 2018;21(4):428-438. https://doi.org/10.1590/1981-22562018021.180077

10. Rosas C, Neri AL. Quality of life, burden, family emotional support: a model for older adults who are caregivers. Rev Bras Enferm. 2019;72(Suppl 2):169-76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2018-0439.

11. Katz S, Ford AB, Moskowitz RW, Jackson BA, Jaffe MW. Studies of illness in the aged: the index of ADL: a standardized measure of biological and psychosocial function. JAMA. 1963;185(12):914-919. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.1963.03060120024016

12. Lawton MP, Brody EM. Assessment of older people: self-maintaining and instrumental activities of daily living. Gerontol. 1969;9(3):179-186. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/9.3_Part_1.179.

13. Neri AL, Borim FSA, Batistoni SST, Cachioni M, Rabelo DF, Fontes AP et al. Nova validação semântico-cultural e estudo psicométrico da CASP-19 em adultos e idosos brasileiros. Cad Saúde Pública. 2018;34(10):e00181417. http://doi.org/10.1590/0102-311x00181417.

14. Scazufca M. Brazilian version of the Burden Interview scale for the assessment of burden of care in carers of people with mental illnesses. Rev Bras Psiquiatr. 2002;24(1):12-17. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-44462002000100006

15. Almeida O, Almeida SA. Confiabilidade da versão brasileira da Escala de Depressão em Geriatria (GDS) versão reduzida. Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 1999;57(2):421-426. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0004-282X1999000300013

16. Dias FL, Teixeira AL, Guimarães HC, Barbosa MT, Resende EP, Beato RG et al. Accuracy of the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) in a community-dwelling oldest-old sample: the Pietà Study. Trends Psychiatry Psychother. 2017;39(4):276-279. https://doi.org/10.1590/2237-6089-2017-0046.

17. Fried LP, Tangen CM, Waltson J, Newman AB, Hirshc C, Gottdiener J et al. Frailty in older adults: evidence for a phenotype. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2001;56(3):146-156. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/56.3.M146.

18. Pinto C, Pais-Ribeiro JL. Construção de uma escala de avaliação da espiritualidade em contextos de saúde. Arq Med. 2007;21(2):47-53. https://scielo.pt/pdf/am/v21n2/v21n2a02.pdf

19. Fortes-Burgos ACG, Neri AL, Cupertino APFB. Eventos Estressantes, Estratégias de Enfrentamento, Auto-Eficácia e Sintomas Depressivos entre Idosos Residentes na Comunidade. Psicol Reflex Crít. 2008;21(1):74-82. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-79722008000100010

20. Hosmer DW, Lemeshow S, Sturdivant RX. Applied Logistic Regression: Wiley Series in Probability and Statistics. 3rd ed. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons; 2013.

21. Lemos LC, Batistoni SST, Cachioni M, Neri AL. Controle percebido em cuidadores de idosos no contexto familiar: variáveis associadas. Psico. 2020;51(1):e33690. https://doi.org/10.15448/1980-8623.2020.1.33690

22. Flesch LD, Batistoni SST, Neri AL, Cachioni M. Elderly Who Care for Elderly: Double Vulnerability and Quality of Life. Paideia. 2020;30:e3003. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1982-4327e3003.

23. Souza ÉN, Oliveira NAD, Luchesi BM, Gratão ACM, Orlandi FDS, Pavarini SCI. Relação entre a esperança e a espiritualidade de idosos cuidadores. Texto & Contexto Enferm. 2017;26(3):e6780015. https://doi.org/10.1590/0104-07072017006780015

24. Silva MCMD, Moreira-Almeida A, Castro EABD. Idosos cuidando de idosos: a espiritualidade como alívio das tensões. Rev Bras Enferm. 2018;71(5):2461-2468. https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2017-0370

25. Brigola AG, Luchesi BM, Rossetti ES, Miosh E, Inouye K, Pavarini, SCI. Perfil de saúde de cuidadores familiares de idosos e sua relação com variáveis do cuidado: um estudo no contexto rural. Rev Bras Geriatr Gerontol. 2017;20(3):409-420. https://doi.org/10.1590/1981-22562017020.160202

26. Kojima G, Iliffe S, Jivraj S, Walters K. Association between frailty and quality of life among community-dwelling older people: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2016;70(7):716-721. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2015-206717.

27. Flesch LD, Batistoni SST, Neri AL, Cachioni M. Aspectos psicológicos da qualidade de vida de cuidadores de idosos: uma revisão integrativa. Geriatr Gerontol Aging. 2017;11(3):138-49. https://doi.org/10.5327/Z2447-211520171700041

28. Oliveira NA, Souza EN, Luchesi BM, Alexandre TS, Inouye K, Pavarini SCI. Elderly caregivers of other elderly living with and without children: burden, optimism and coping strategies. Cien Saude Colet. 2020;25(2):473-481. https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-81232020252.02222018

29. Pereira EVS. A CASP-19 e sua relação com as variáveis sociodemográficas e de saúde em idosos participantes do estudo FIBRA 80+. [dissertação]. Campinas: Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas; 2020.

30. Sacco LB, König S, Westerlund H, Platts LG. Informal Caregiving and Quality of Life Among Older Adults: Prospective Analyses from the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH). Soc Indic Res. 2020;160:845-866. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-020-02473-x

Published

2025-03-12

How to Cite

Barbosa, G. C., Alves, L. C. de S., Ottaviani, A. C., Orlandi, A. A. dos S., Orlandi, F. de S., Zazzetta, M. S., … Pavarini, S. C. I. (2025). Factors related to the quality of life of older adults caregivers of the older adults: cross-sectional study. Revista Contexto & Saúde, 25(50), e15113. https://doi.org/10.21527/2176-7114.2025.50.15113

Issue

Section

ORIGINAL ARTICLE