Sobrecarga de cuidadores familiares de pacientes em tratamento oncológico

Objective: to evaluate the profile and level of burden of family caregivers of patients undergoing cancer treatment and the association between variables. Methodology: cross-sectional study carried out in a public hospital, with 222 caregivers. Data collected through a sociodemographic and care characterization questionnaire and the Burden Interview Scale, submitted to descriptive and inferential statistics. The relationship between the variables was made using the Mann-Whitney test with a significance level ≤5%. Results: family caregivers were mostly women, between 38 and 57 years old, with a partner, children they cared for. They had a low level of education, without formal employment, cared for more than 12 months, had previous experience and had the help of others for care. As for overload, 48.2% had no overload, followed by mild to moderate overload. Conclusion: the assistance received to care is statistically associated with the level of burden of family caregivers, and the support and distribution of tasks among family members are decisive for this outcome. Stimulating and strengthening the family unit for cooperative and collaborative care contributes so that the family caregiver does not present or have the level of burden reduced