Description
This thesis deals with the osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee in the elderly, the burden of the caregiver, the quality of life (QOL) and the relationship between the old-family caregiver dyad. That way, your goal was to study the population profile and the QOL of elderly people with OA and their family caregivers. The study was conducted in two phases, on the first were elaborated two articles of literature review. And on the second, three practical articles were developed, which were quantitative type, observational, descriptive and cross-sectional. The sample consisted of 15 older diagnosed with knee OA and their family caregivers. For the elderly have been applied the demographic questionnaire and clinical, the Visual analogue scale (EVA), Algofuncional survey of Lequesne, the World Health Organization Questionnaire for Quality of Life-Form Bref (WHOQOL-Bref) and the old relationship quiz-caregiver. For caregivers have been applied the demographic questionnaire and clinical, Zarit Burden Interview, scale the WHOQOL-Bref questionnaire and the relative caregiver-aged. The elderly showed an average age of 74 ± 6.4 years, with body mass index (BMI) 26.91 average ± 8.85 Kg/m2, out of which 53.33% (n = 8) were married and lived with their husbands, 66.6% (n =
10) were retired, 60% (n = 8) did not practice physical activity and 93.3% (n = 14) used some type of medication. In relation to caregivers, 53.3% were men (n = 8), with an average age of
58.53 ± 17.54 years, with average BMI 25.16 ± 4.80 Kg/m2, of which 73.33% (n = 11) were married, 60% (n = 8) did not practice physical activity and 93.3% (n = 14) were smokers. In general, it is observed that the elderly patients with OA of knee, point out the pain as a symptom more identifiable and the QOL is decreased, being the worst physical domain. In relation to family caregivers, realized an increase of burden and the QOL is diminished. When comparing the QOL of the elderly carer dyad, the results show that the elderly are the most committed to the caregiver QV, except in the field social relations. And, the relationship between the pair, shows signs of being harmonious. With this thesis, the design of a health support program, for individuals with OA and their caregivers seeking to minimize the impact of OA in the lives of the elderly and minimize overhead suffered by caregivers.
