Mutuality, considered the feeling of intimacy and the positive relationship between a caregiver and a carereceiver, is gaining an increasing interest in the international research arena, on the light of the socio-demographic changes and the increase in chronic degenerative diseases. The purpose of this article is to make a critical analysis of the literature on mutuality in order to identify its predictors and outcomes. Aliterature review was performed with the following databases: PubMed, CINAHL, PsycInfo, ASSIA and SociologicalAbstract. Twenty articles were selected. From the critical analysis of the literature mutuality emerges as key variable in the process of caregiving and in the mental and physical health of the caregiver and carereceiver. In caregivers, high levels of mutuality are associated with less stress, depression and burden and a better quality of life and perceived health; in patients, high mutuality improves the recovery processfrom an illness, reduces anxiety and depression and improves the quality of life. Future studies aimed at the study of this variable also in the Italian population could support thedevelopment of programs to improve the quality of life of caregivers and carereceiver.
La mutualità, intesa come sentimento di intimità e relazione positiva tra caregiver e carereceiver, sta acquistando un interesse crescente nel panorama della ricerca internazionale alla luce del cambiamento sociodemografico e dell’aumento delle patologie cronico-degenerative. Lo scopo di questo articolo è effettuare un’analisi critica della letteratura sulla mutualità al fine di individuarne i predittori e gli outcome. E’ stata eseguita una ricerca bibliografica sulle banche dati PubMed, CINAHL, PsycInfo, SociologicalAbstract ed ASSIA e sono stati selezionati 20 articoli. Dall’analisi critica degli articoli la mutualità emergecome variabile fondamentale nel processo del caregiving e nella salute psicofisica del caregiver e carereceiver. Nei caregiver, alti livelli di mutualità sono associati a minore stress, depressione e burden a ad una migliore qualità di vita e salute percepita; nei pazienti un’alta mutualità è in grado di velocizzare il recupero dalla malattia, ridurre l’ansia e la depressione e migliorare la qualità di vita. Studi futuri finalizzati allo studio di questa variabile anche nella popolazione italiana potrebbero essere di supporto a sviluppare programmi mirati a migliorare la qualità di vita dei caregiver e carereceiver.
LA MUTUALITA’ NEL CAREGIVING: UNA REVISIONE DELLA LETTERATURA MUTUALITY IN CAREGIVING: A LITERATURE REVIEW
SIMEONE S;
2014
Abstract
Mutuality, considered the feeling of intimacy and the positive relationship between a caregiver and a carereceiver, is gaining an increasing interest in the international research arena, on the light of the socio-demographic changes and the increase in chronic degenerative diseases. The purpose of this article is to make a critical analysis of the literature on mutuality in order to identify its predictors and outcomes. Aliterature review was performed with the following databases: PubMed, CINAHL, PsycInfo, ASSIA and SociologicalAbstract. Twenty articles were selected. From the critical analysis of the literature mutuality emerges as key variable in the process of caregiving and in the mental and physical health of the caregiver and carereceiver. In caregivers, high levels of mutuality are associated with less stress, depression and burden and a better quality of life and perceived health; in patients, high mutuality improves the recovery processfrom an illness, reduces anxiety and depression and improves the quality of life. Future studies aimed at the study of this variable also in the Italian population could support thedevelopment of programs to improve the quality of life of caregivers and carereceiver.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
