Risk of stress in caregiving role of cancer patients

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the risk of stress in the role of caregivers of cancer patients. Method: Qualitative, descriptive, phenomenological research. The participants of the study were caregivers of a patient with cancer, taking as inclusion criteria that they had more than 1 year of uninterrupted care of the patient. The information was collected through semi-structured interviews that were recorded and then transcribed word by word. The information saturation criterion was taken into account, at which time the information collection was completed; therefore, 10 interviews were carried out. The data analysis was carried out following the grounded theory in the data, emerging categories and subcategories from the discourse of the study participants; triangulating the data with previous studies and theoretical aspects on the subject. Results: The risk of caregiver stress is related to physiological, emotional, economic aspects and expectations with the recovery of the family member having as a basis the support of the family and the activities performed by them. Conclusions: The risk of caregiver stress was evidenced with greater relevance from the physiological point of view, since most caregivers presented body aches, tiredness and insomnia. From the emotional point of view, the caregivers presented alterations such as sadness, anxiety and from the economic point of view, there were resignations from their work places, their profession and their life projects.