Necessidades de intervenção de enfermagem nos domínios psicológico e espiritual em cuidadores de pessoas em fim de vida: a scoping review

Abstract

Introduction: An aging population leads to a higher number of individuals in the final stages of life, making it essential to accurately identify the needs of informal caregivers. This strategy is vital for optimizing health resources and implementing effective interventions. Objectives: To map the literature on the psychological and spiritual needs of informal caregivers of terminally ill patients. Material and methods: A scoping review was carried out according to the methodology proposed by The Joanna Briggs Institute. Literature published in the electronic databases CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Medline (EBSCOhost), PubMed, and Cochrane Library was searched. The studies were identified and selected by two reviewers independently. Studies were included if they addressed the needs of informal caregivers of adult terminally ill patients, with no limitations regarding the care setting. The results were analysed descriptively and synthesized narratively. Results: 826 articles were identified, of which 25 were selected for inclusion. The analysis of the included articles resulted in the identification of 10 needs in the psychological domain and 4 in the spiritual domain. Discussion: The analysis revealed that caregiver’s psychological and spiritual support needs are essential, highlighting the lack of emotional, affective and spiritual support, and the need to strengthen confidence and face anxiety and loneliness. Conclusion: Studying the needs of informal carers is crucial to improving quality of life and the provision of care. Identifying these needs allows for a more effective and personalized approach and provides a solid basis for future research.