title: Caregivers' experience in patients with chronic diseases.
abstract: The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of caregivers of patients with chronic diseases, assess their perceived burden, and investigate factors influencing this burden. Seventy-three patient-attendants (43 men and 30 women) participated in the pilot-research conducted by two clinics. Of them, 68% attended patients with a malignant disease and 32% attended patients in the end stage of renal disease. Based on questionnaire data, the influence of the social support was studied, in particular that of family members or through state programmers. Family members are the primary caregivers (spouses 51%, children 29%, and others 20%). Psychological support is the main important help that they need and there are a small number of caregivers who have access to a network of medical and social support. It is found that the family still remains the main supporting mechanism for attendants and patients in our population.
authors.affiliation: a Nephrology Department , Aretaieion University Hospital, University of Athens , Athens , Greece.
authors.forename: Eirini
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grapsa
authors.forename: Kostantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pantelias
authors.forename: Edmond
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ntenta
authors.forename: Chrysoula
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pipili
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kiousi
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Samartzi
authors.forename: Stylianos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karagiannis
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heras
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: caregivers’ needs; chronic diseases; support mechanism