Social Support for Family Caregivers of Chronically Ill Persons in Cartagena

Abstract

Objective: Determine the social support perceived by family caregivers of chronically ill persons in the city of Cartagena, Colombia. Method: A descriptive study of 222 persons serving, during the period from October 2009 to October 2010, using the social support in chronic illness "inventory" tool proposed by Hilbert, which consists of five categories. The data are expressed through descriptive statis tics. Results: 91.4%  of the caregivers are women, 54.35%  are between 36 and 59 years of age, and their average age is 43.7 years. The caregivers displayed a satisfactory perception of the social support they receive, with a mean of 148.97 and a standard deviation of 33.94. The lowest score was 35 points and the highest was 204. The most support for caregivers was provided by their siblings (24%), spouses (22.2% ) and sons and daughters (17.6% ). Conclusion: Caregivers are satisfied with their perceived social support, especially in the categories of "personal interaction" and "education and information" received from those who make up their network. Innovative proposals from nursing are required to support chronically ill persons and their caregivers.