Characterization of the patients' caregivers on the waiting list for heart transplant at UNIFESP.
OBJECTIVE
To identify and describe the main caregiver of the patients on the heart transplant waiting list; to compare relevant information provided by patients and caregivers, and to classify the caregivers according to their dedication and efficiency in assisting the patient by correlating them to sociodemographic data.


METHODS
Descriptive study performed from October 2004 to October 2005 at UNIFESP outpatient clinics. The study sample consisted of 21 patients and their caregivers. Data were collected through a structured interview.


RESULTS
The main caregiver was a family member (95%), usually the spouse. There were 13 women (81%) and three men (19%). Patient age ranged from 24 to 65 years (mean 44.3). Patients were married (56%); catholic (43.8%); 29% have finished elementary school; 24% have finished high school; 14% have higher education; 68.8% have a regular job; and 81.4% had their own income. All caregivers lived in the same house as the patient. Once a score was established, the caregivers were classified as: "good" - 8 (50%); "regular" - 7 (43.7%); and "bad" 1 - (6.3%). The scores were correlated with education, professional activity, and income without any significant statistical correlation.


CONCLUSIONS
It is important to determine the instruments to recognize and describe the caregivers. The caregiver is usually a family member (spouse), female, mean age of 44.3 years; has his/her own income and, most of the time, he/she is classified as "good" or "regular", and no correlation was found with education, professional activity and income. Further studies with a larger sample should establish the relationship between the caregiver's role and the heart transplant outcomes.
Machado
Regimar Carla
RC
UNIFESP/EPM Department of Surgery.
Branco
João Nelson Rodrigues
JN
Michel
Jeanne Liliane Marlene
JL
Gabriel
Edmo Atique
EA
Locali
Rafael Fagionato
RF
Helito
Renata Almeida Barros
RA
Buffolo
Enio
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D017028:Caregivers / Q000145:classification* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018454:Spouses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014850:Waiting Lists