Assistance to the caregiver, a health problem which is necessary to approach in the medical studies

EDUMECENTRO 2014;6(3):128-142 ISSN 2077-2874 RNPS 2234 Santa Clara sep.-dic. http://www.revedumecentro.sld.cu 130 Background: the figure of the caregiver arises because of the increase in the illnesses of the elderly people, and the need that a person be in charge to give them the necessary care to the sufferers of these illnesses. Therefore, it is convenient to deepen in this health problem in order to find its solution. Objective: to express the need to include the assistance to the caregiver as a health problem in the medical studies. Methods: a descriptive transversal research project was done. The population was composed of all the caregivers belonging to the three basic work groups from the “Chiqui Gómez Lubián” University Clinic in the city of Santa Clara, from January to March of 2012. As theoretical methods the analysis and synthesis of the information collected were used; empirical: a questionnaire and the data were processed through the SPSS. Results: in the characterization of the population of caregivers were identified the somatic disturbances and the symptomatology of psychic nature as most frequent. This symptomatology presents a greater incidence in relation to the time in which this caregiving lasts; twenty-seven of these caregivers needed qualified assistance from psychiatrists and other medical specialities. Conclusions: the appearance of the caregiver as figure in charge of giving assistance to an elderly person with a degenerative mental disease requires of ways of integral medical behavior, and it implies the need that this theme be approached in the training processes of undergraduate and postgraduate studies of the health professionals. MeSH: caregivers/psychology, professional competence. _______________________________________________________________