Cuidados paliativos sob a perspectiva do núcleo familiar do paciente : análise à luz do modelo de Betty Neuman

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Palliative care focuses on the quality of life of patients and their families in the context of life-threatening illnesses, addressing physical, psychosocial, and spiritual aspects. In Brazil, noncommunicable chronic diseases account for the majority of deaths, reinforcing the need for qualified professionals and research on the experiences of Family members. The family is understood as a group of individuals united by affective or marital bonds, whose structure is impacted by illness, especially the primary caregiver. The object of this study was: “the stressors permeating the experience of family members of patients in palliative care.” OBJECTIVE: To analyze the stressors that permeate the experience of Family members of patients in palliative care through Betty Neuman’s Systems Theory. METHODOLOGY: This is a qualitative study using Bardin’s thematic content analysis as the data analysis technique, interpreted through the theoretical framework of Betty Neuman. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Alagoas under Opinion No. 6.007.86. Ten interviews were conducted with family members accompanying patients hospitalized in the São Vicente de Paulo Inpatient Unit at Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Maceió from June 2025 to August 2025, using pre-established questions. The results were analyzed according to Betty Neuman’s Systems Theory. RESULTS: Seven categories emerged: Suffering from witnessing the suffering of another; Abdication of Personal and Professional Life Due to Caring for an Ill Family Member; Self-Neglect in Favor of Caring for Others and Caregiver Illness; Weakening of the Support Network and Rupture of the Caregiver’s Line of Defense; Disruption of Daily Life Due to the Sudden Assumption of the Caregiver Role; Social Restriction and Reduction of Daily Interactions; Emotional SelfContainment as a Protective Strategy. CONCLUSION: Betty Neuman’s Systems Theory proved to be an effective framework for elucidating the stressors present in the experience of family members of patients in palliative care.