Quality of life and social support for informal caregivers of dependent patients in Spain: A cross-sectional study

Objective: The purpose of this study is to analyze the quality of life and perception of social support among informal caregivers of dependent patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study in the Southeast of Spain was conducted. This research employed a comprehensive questionnaire and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support to assess caregiver variables in relation to quality of life. Ethical considerations were strictly observed, and statistical analysis utilized SPSS software, with a significance level of p<.05. Results: A total of 80 caregivers of dependent patients took part in the study. The informal caregiver was typically a middle-aged man, who was married , the son of the dependent patient , had no other work, had only completed primary education, and lived with the patient. The caregiver spends an average of 16 hours per day providing care and at least for 4.75 years. Factors such as living with the dependent person, lacking external support, and significant caregiving hours were associated with lower quality of life and perceived social support. A statistically significant negative correlation was observed between quality of life and perceived social support (r=.670; p<.001). Conclusion: Caregivers with a stronger perception of social support reported a higher quality of life. Reinforcing social support such as institutions and networks could improve the quality of life and health outcomes perceived by caregivers, making it a necessary intervention. In conclusion, the study demonstrated the signifi - cance of promoting and strengthening the social support network to enhance the caregiver's quality of life and health status.