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OBJECTIVE: to assess the quality of life and burden of caregivers to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease patients on Long-Term Oxygen Therapy and to investigate the factors influencing this burden. METHOD: this is an analytical, cross-sectional study of 80 persons with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease on Long-Term Oxygen Therapy who used the specialized outpatient center of the Federal University of São Paulo, and their carers. The following instruments were used: Medical Outcomes Studies 36 (SF-36), Caregiver Burden Scale (CBS) and the Katz Index, along with socio-demographic and clinical variables. RESULTS: the most compromised scores on the carers' quality of life questionnaire were for Vitality and Mental Health. On the Caregiver Burden Scale, the domain which created the greatest burden for carers was the Environment. With the exception of Emotional Involvement, all the domains of quality of life were affected negatively by the domains of caregiver burden. CONCLUSION: it was shown that carers' quality of life was compromised and that they were overburdened with care tasks, confirming that assisting persons with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is an important element in carers' quality of life. OBJETIVO: evaluar la calidad de vida y la sobrecarga de cuidados experimentada por cuidadores de portadores de la Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica en uso de Oxigenoterapia Domiciliar Prolongada e investigar los factores que influencian esa sobrecarga. MÉTODO: se trata de estudio transversal analítico, con 80 portadores de la Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica en uso de Oxigenoterapia Domiciliar en el ambulatorio especializado de la Universidad Federal de Sao Paulo y de sus respectivos cuidadores, aplicando los instrumentos: Medical Outcomes Studies 36 (SF-36), Caregiver Burden Scale (CBS), índice de Katz y variables sociodemográficas y clínicas. RESULTADOS: los puntajes del cuestionario de calidad de vida de los cuidadores más comprometidos fueron la Vitalidad y la Salud Mental. El Ambiente fue el dominio del Caregiver Burden Scale que generó mayor sobrecarga de cuidados. Con excepción del Envolvimiento Emocional, todos los dominios de calidad de vida fueron influenciados de forma negativa por los dominios de sobrecarga de cuidados. CONCLUSIÓN: se demostró que la calidad de vida y la sobrecarga de cuidados, de los cuidadores, estaban comprometidos, confirmando que cuidar a los portadores de Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica, es un importante interviniente en la calidad de vida del cuidador. OBJETIVO: avaliar a qualidade de vida e a sobrecarga de cuidados, vivenciada por cuidadores de portadores de Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica, em uso de Oxigenoterapia Domiciliar Prolongada, e investigar os fatores que influenciam essa sobrecarga. MÉTODO: trata-se de estudo transversal analítico, com 80 portadores de Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica em uso de Oxigenoterapia Domiciliar do ambulatório especializado da Universidade Federal de São Paulo e seus respectivos cuidadores, aplicando-se os instrumentos: Medical Outcomes Studies 36, Caregiver Burden Scale, índice de Katz e variáveis sociodemográficas e clínicas. RESULTADOS: os escores do questionário de qualidade de vida dos cuidadores mais comprometidos foram vitalidade e saúde mental. O ambiente foi o domínio do Caregiver Burden Scale que gerou maior sobrecarga de cuidados. Com exceção do envolvimento emocional, todos os domínios de qualidade de vida foram influenciados de forma negativa pelos domínios de sobrecarga de cuidados. CONCLUSÃO: demonstrou-se comprometimento da qualidade de vida e sobrecarga de cuidados dos cuidadores, confirmando que assistir portadores de Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica é um importante interveniente na qualidade de vida do cuidador.

To evaluate and correlate the quality of life (QoL) of COPD patients on long-term home oxygen therapy (LTOT) with their sociodemographic/clinical characteristics and level of dependence.This was a cross-sectional analytical study involving COPD patients on LTOT followed at the Oxygen Therapy Outpatient Clinic of the Federal University of São Paulo Hospital São Paulo, in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Sociodemographic, clinical, and biochemical data were collected. We assessed QoL and level of dependence using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Katz index, respectively. Multiple linear regression models were constructed in order to determine the influence of these variables on QoL.We included 80 patients in the study. The mean age was 69.6 ± 9.1 years, and 51.3% were female. The lowest SF-36 scores were for the physical functioning and role-physical domains. All sociodemographic characteristics (except gender) were found to correlate significantly with the SF-36 domains mental health, vitality, role-physical, and social functioning. We also found that body mass index, PaO2, post-bronchodilator FEV1, hemoglobin, and Katz index correlated significantly with the physical functioning, mental health, role-physical, and bodily pain domains. In addition, oxygen flows were found to correlate negatively with the physical functioning, mental health, vitality, and role-emotional domains.Low scores for SF-36 domains, as well as the variables that negatively influence them, should be considered and analyzed during the development and implementation of strategies for improving the QoL of COPD patients on LTOT.