Afrontamiento y carga subjetiva en cuidadores primarios de adultos mayores dependientes de Andalucía, España

PURPOSE: To analyse the relationship between the type of coping and subjective burden in caregivers of dependent elderly relatives in Andalusia (Spain). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. LOCATION: Primary Health Care (autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain). PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 198 primary caregivers of dependent elderly relatives. KEY MEASUREMENTS: Coping (Brief COPE), subjective burden (caregiver stress index), objective burden (functional capacity [Barthel Index], cognitive impairment [Pfeiffer Test], behavioural problems of the care recipient [Neuropsychiatric Inventory], and caregivers’ dedication to caring), gender and kinship. RESULTS: Most caregivers were women (89.4%), daughters of the care recipient (57.1%), and shared home with him/her (69.7%). On controlling for objective burden, gender and kinship, it was found that subjective burden was positively associated with dysfunctional coping (β = 0.28; P < .001) and negatively with emotion-focused coping (β = −0.25; P = .001), while no association was found with problem-focused coping. CONCLUSIONS: Dysfunctional coping may be a risk factor for subjective burden, and emotion-focused coping may be a protective factor for that subjective burden regardless of the objective burden, and gender and kinship of the caregivers.