Death among Relatives Caring for Patients with HIV/AIDS and cancer

André Luiz Barbieri^*1 , Alcyone Artioli Machado² , Marco Antônio de Castro Figueiredo¹

¹ Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de S. Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brasil

² Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Clínica Médica, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil

ABSTRACT: Several forms of treatment have been developed regarding how AIDS and cancer are dealt with. Although these diseases have elicited prejudiced attitudes, the persons involved in patient care have permitted the advance of ideas and discussions towards the humanization of these diseases. The objective of the present study was to survey the beliefs of relatives of patients with HIV/AIDS and cancer regarding death and home care in an attempt to determine the characteristics of such beliefs. For this purpose we used Fishbein-Ajzen's affective-cognitive framework which conceives attitude as resulting from the association of beliefs and affects associated with a given phenomenon. Thirty-five relatives of patients with HIV/AIDS and 35 relatives of patients with cancer were studied. The attitudes of the relatives surveyed in this study revealed the lack of preparation and the difficulties of subjects in facing death and patient care. Although having pointed out that love and faith in God as important in family relations, day-to-day experiences of caregiving and of impending death, characteristics related to social exclusion and the vulnerability elicited by these diseases emerged.

Palavras chave: AIDS, Cancer, Death, Home care.

Estudo Diferencial de Crenças Relativas aos Cuidados Domiciliares e

À morte entre Portadores de HIV/AIDS e Câncer

RESUMO: Ao longo do enfrentamento da sida e do Câncer, várias formas de tratamento foram desenvolvidas. Embora estas duas afecções tenham incitado atitudes preconceituosas, as pessoas envolvidas com os cuidados, possibilitaram o avanço de idéias e de discussões, em busca da humanização dessas doenças. Este estudo tem como objetivo, fazer um levantamento das crenças de familiares de portadores de HIV/SIDA e de câncer, relacionadas com a morte e cuidados domiciliares, procurando delinear as características dessas crenças. Para tal, utilizou-se o referencial afetivo-cognitivo de Fishbein-Ajzen, que concebe a atitude como resultante da conjugação entre crenças e afetos associados a um fenômeno qualquer. Foram estudados, 35 familiares de portadores de HIV/SIDA e 35 familiares de portadores de câncer. As atitudes dos familiares levantadas neste estudo mostram o despreparo e as dificuldades destes no enfrentamento da morte e no cuidar do doente. A orientação e o suporte emocional, tanto do doente quanto do familiar, seriam necessários, a fim de minimizar o sofrimento e oferecer subsídios para o enfrentamento dos diferentes estágios de doença, pelos quais o enfermo passará.

Key words: AIDS e câncer, Atendimento domiciliar, Morte.

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Barbieri, A.L., Machado, A.A., & Figueiredo, M.A.C. (in press). Estudo qualitativo de crenças relativas aos cuidados domiciliares e à morte entre familiares de portadores de HIV/AIDS e câncer. PAIEDIA.         [ Links ]

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