COPING AND EMOTIONAL COMFORT OF CAREGIVERS

  • Mária Novysedláková Catholic University in Ruzomberok, Faculty of Health Care
  • Katarína Zrubáková Catholic University in Ruzomberok, Faculty of Health Care
  • Mariana Magerčiaková Catholic University in Ruzomberok, Faculty of Health Care
  • Eva Moraučíková Catholic University in Ruzomberok, Faculty of Health Care
Keywords: Family caregiver. Brief COPE. Coping strategies. The scale of the subjective emotional well-being

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this research is to find coping strategies for dealing with stress among caregivers who look after a chronically ill family member and to assess which of the most common emotions they are experiencing.

Methods: We used a standard 28-item questionnaire Brief COPE (Carver, 1997) with Likert scale with values of 6-1 and standardized Variety habitual emotional, subjective well-being in this study (Džuka, Dalbert, 2002). The questionnaire was distributed by nurses who care for ill relatives in the  Home Care Agency. We used descriptive statistical methods.

Results:  Exploratory data includes answers from 30 respondents, who were caregivers of a patient  with chronic illness at home. The average age of respondents was 66.3 years + 4,5, ranged between 56 and 71 years old. Concerning the custodies, these were the most often the  life partners - husband / wife (63 %). The average length of treatment was half a year - year (27 %). Top active strategies for coping with stress were: planning, instrumental social support, acceptance, religiosity, emotional support, with the average  from 4,65 to 4,27. The least used coping strategies were humor and drug use. Respondents experienced more frequent  negative than positive emotions - pain with average 4,30, sadness 4,24,  fear 4.23,

Conclusion:  The study shows that the caregivers can select an active strategy to help them overcome difficulties while taking  care of the sick.  When assessing emotional survival, we found out that respondents had negative emotions.

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Published
2018-09-25