Children as caregivers: a research study on the perspective of nurses from the Autonomous Region of Madeira

Abstract

Background: In Portugal, there are no records of children as caregivers. The international literature highlights that this is an important area of intervention for health professionals. Objectives: To analyze the primary care nurses’ perspective about young caregivers in the Autonomous Region of Madeira and identify areas of intervention. Methodology: A quantitative and descriptive study was conducted based on a questionnaire applied to a sample of 157 nurses of the Autonomous Region of Madeira. Results: Among the participating nurses, 23% had already contacted with young caregivers, 29% with young caregivers caring for their grandparents, 25% with young caregivers caring for parents with mental disorders, and 21% with young caregivers caring for parents with chronic diseases. The following areas of nursing intervention were identified, education, skills training, individual support and counselling. Conclusion: The aging of the population and the high prevalence of mental disorders increase the probability of children assuming the role of caregivers. We recommend that this study be replicated in mainland Portugal. Qualitative studies should also be conducted on the role of the dependent person and the young caregiver.