Auto-eficácia e sobrecarga nos prestadores de cuidados de crianças com necessidades de saúde

Abstract

Interventions of health care providers have been encouraged towards the recognition of the participation of families in child care. However, despite family-focused care being discussed and defended since long, its practical application still embraces today an array of challenges, including the understanding of health care needs of the child/family within a dynamic developing environment as well as health care provided at home.The adjustment of roles of family caregivers mentioned above, when related to parental condition incited the investigator the willingness to understand the difficulties and needs experienced by parents caring for children with Special Health Care Needs.An exploratory, cross-sectional study was carried out from a quantitative point of view through the application of a socio-demographic questionnaire consisting of a set of issues, psycho-sociological indices and scales applied to a group of individuals, main caregivers of children with Special Health Care Needs assigned to the Núcleo Regional de Faro da Associação Portuguesa de Paralisia Cerebral (Faro Regional Centre of the Portuguese Association of Cerebral Palsy) and is a non-probabilistic sample of convenience. Data analysis performed using the statistical program Statistical Package for The Social Sciences (SPSS 15.0).The results show a prevalence of female caregivers, with an education level corresponding to secondary school and with parental relationship with the child.Most participants claim to be consistent and honest people, capable of overcoming barriers, considering that the first step towards solving the problems begin with the desire to solve them, by demonstrating awareness and involvement in the critical analysis of their private lives in order to understand the oppressive surrounding causes and develop strategies for solving problems. They show an acceptable life quality, good health, satisfaction with personal life and family balance. They also consider that they control the health condition of the child and regard as "Good" the experience of caring for a child with Special Health Care Needs.

Date of Award	Nov 2010
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Teresa Martins (Supervisor)