Perception of the social support provided to family caregivers of people with chronic disease

Abstract

The objective of this study was to describe the perception of social support of the family caregiver of people with chronic diseases. A qualitative descriptive approach with content analysis based on an inductive type categorization was used, involving 130 main caregiver participants captured through the Chronic Patient and their family Care research group. The information was collected through questionnaires written with open questions during the months of February to June 2018 in the Faculty of Nursing of the National University of Colombia. The findings were grouped into 9 categories that were named as the support that relieves the burden, the support to face and overcome, the need for emotional support, to transcend spiritual support, the need for tangible support, support to support others, technology ICT information and communication as a medium for support, Perception of state and institutional support and Being a visible and supported caregiver. It can be concluded that the greater need for social support expressed by caregivers is related to emotional and spiritual support, in which making their work visible, being recognized and being accompanied is the most important thing for them.