Sources de stress perçues par les soignantes naturelles : une étude phénoménologique

Abstract

Sources of stress from the perspective of caregivers: A phenomenological study The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify the sources of stress experienced by caregivers. Twenty-five spouses were interviewed. All were taking care of their husbands who were living at home with a chronic illness. Two instruments were used: a sociodemographic questionnaire and a semi-structured interview developed by Desjean, Doucet, and Gagnon (1983) specifically for phenomenological studies. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed by Giorgi's test. The results indicated that being a caregiver is stressful. The unsatisfied needs for education and social support, the uncertainty about the outcome of the illness, and the loss of freedom and social activities are the major sources of stress expressed by caregivers. These findings should encourage nurses to evaluate the caregivers' situation and initiate interventions that assist them in decreasing sources of stress.