141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

286321
Caregiver burden for an elderly population in são paulo, Brazil

Monday, November 4, 2013

Hsiang Huang, MD, MPH , Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA
Rodrigo Fonseca, MD , University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Marcia Scazufca, PhD , School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Clinics Hospital, LIM-23, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Introduction: Few studies have described the characteristics of caregivers of the elderly community dwelling population in Low and Middle Income Countries (LAMIC).

Objective: To describe the characteristics of caregivers for a vulnerable low income elderly population in Brazil (a middle income country).

Methods: The study sample consisted of caregivers (n=587) for individuals ≥65 years old living in disadvantaged areas of the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Comparison among the different caregiver characteristics to detect significant differences in the level of burden experienced (using Brazilian version of the 22-item Burden Interview) was carried out with SPSS 19.

Results: Caregivers who were female, co-habitated with the patient, or had completed only primary education were more likely to experience a higher level of burden.

Conclusions: Further studies are needed to examine the association of elderly characteristics (e.g. age, mental disorders, medical illness) with caregiver burden.

Learning Areas:
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
Describe factors associated with care giver burden among those caring for elderly Brazilian individuals in the community.

Keywords: Caregivers, Aging

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a psychiatric consultant and have an interest in behavioral health integration and global mental health.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.