Excessive workload and morbidity in caregivers of children with disabilities

This study analyzes the burden of care and its relation with morbidity perceived by caregivers of children with disabilities. In this quantitative, descriptive, correlational and cross-sectional study, 56 caregivers of children, enrolled in an association in Cali, participated. The morbidity was measured with the Nordic questionnaire and the burden of care with the interview of Zarit. The results were presented using descriptive statistics and the Pearson correlation coefficient. Caregivers are mostly women, with an average age of 47 years old, with more than ten years performing these duties, and 21 as the average number of working hours per day. It prevailed lower back pain (50%) followed by shoulder pain (37.5%). The subjective excessive workload stood at the oldest caregivers with a performance in additional activities; this relation was statistically significant (p = 0.04). Caregivers who devote more time in other tasks showed more subjective excessive workload and musculoskeletal morbidity in the lower back and shoulders. Caregivers express feelings of burden and frustration towards caregiving.