Palliative Care And Its Social Representations For Caregivers Of Cancer Patients In Exclusive Palliative Care

Abstract

Introduction: The informal care of the cancer patient without curative possibility comprehends important physical, emotional and spiritual demands in the course of the disease still little addressed. Objective: To analyze the structure of social representations of palliative care in the perspective of the caregiver of cancer patients in exclusive palliative care. Method: Qualitative, descriptive and exploratory nature study, based on the Theory of Social Representations. Data collection was carried out between July and September 2023 in an oncology reference federal hospital in the city of Rio de Janeiro, with 100 primary or secondary caregivers, without work relationship to perform this role. The free evocations to the term “palliative care” were collected and the questionnaire was applied to characterize the caregivers, mostly women (75%) and considered as primary caregivers (52% and later analyzed with the software IRAMUTEq, version 0.7. Results: Probable central nucleus: “no treatment” (Mean Evocation Order – MEO 2, frequency 41), “comfort” (MEO 2, frequency 25), “symptomatic control” (MEO 1.8, frequency 25) and “terminality” (MEO 2, frequency 21). It was identified the predominance of ideas related to the disease, and in contrast, the relevance of subjective aspects that can fragilize patients and caregivers was revealed. Conclusion: The social representations of caregivers are anchored in the terminality, absence of treatment, comfort and control of symptoms, which involve subjective aspects of coping and confirm the idea of finitude, but acknowledge that the well-being of the patient can be favored by technical and assistance actions associated with hospitalization.