Degree of overload of the primary caregivers of the Incluimos con Amor Foundation, Medellín

Abstract

Introduction: The study addresses caregiver burden, Burden Syndrome, and the economic and psychosocial challenges faced by individuals caring for family members with medical conditions. Objective: To determine the caregiver burden among caregivers at the "Incluimos con Amor" Foundation in Medellín. Methodology: This is a quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study. Data were collected using the Zarit scale to measure caregiver burden. The study population included primary caregivers of children aged 7 to 17 with disabilities, excluding caregivers of patients older than 18 and healthcare personnel acting as caregivers. A census sampling approach was used, including all primary caregivers from the foundation. Results: Most caregivers were women aged 31 to 40 years, dedicating between 7 to 15 hours daily to caregiving. 77.3% of caregivers showed no burden, while 18.2% exhibited intense burden. Conclusions: The study found no significant correlation between caregiver burden and the presence of an additional caregiver, the type of disability, the patient’s diagnosis, or the degree of dependency.