[The chronically ill at home and the impact in main caregivers].

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the repercussions that caring for chronically sick patients at home can have on the health of the main carers.

DESIGN

A descriptive crossover study.

SETTING

"Raval Nord" Health District, Barcelona.

PATIENTS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS

All the 336 chronically sick at home recorded in the home-care programme during January to March 1996. All the 236 carers identified during the same period.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

75% of the patients and 72% of those considered the main carers answered a home questionnaire. Most of the chronically ill at home were women (67%), with an average age of 81 (SD, 11). 18% presented severe disorders in the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ), test which showed a significant relationship (p < 0.0001) with less autonomy according to the Katz index. 36% of carers remarked physical problems such as repeated back-aches and lumbago.

CONCLUSIONS

The most important disorders affecting the autonomy and mental health of chronic patients at home lead to increased psychological malaise in the career, especially if he/she is a family member.