The Relationship between Overload and Caregiving Competencies in Informal Caregivers of People with Chronic Diseases

Abstract

Introduction: When people develop chronic diseases and their possible complications, it leads to the need to receive care from someone in social or family contexts. This person becomes an informal caregiver. By playing this role, this person can experience situations or characteristics inherent to caregivers, which impact caregiving competencies and overload. These aspects could affect the caregiver-care receiver dyad. Objective. To identify the relationship between caregiving competencies and overload in informal caregivers of people with chronic diseases. Methods. A transversal, correlational study, n= 259, on informal caregivers of people with chronic diseases, users of two general hospitals in Tamaulipas, selected through intentional non-probability sampling. A sociodemographic data form and the Zarit and CUIDAR instruments were used. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied for the analysis. Results. Caregivers were mostly women, with kinship as daughters or wives. A negative, statistically significant correlation was detected (rs= -.160, p= 0.01) between overload and caregiving competencies. Discussion. Caregivers’ profiles in this study concur with international literature. The correlation between research variables has been documented in very few studies, reason why it represents progress in knowledge in the field of caregiving. Conclusion. A correlation that can be interpreted as follows was observed: “more overload implies less caregiving competencies.” This finding demonstrates the need for knowledge and skills to optimally provide care and, therefore, have the capacity to face overload situations.