Health-related quality of life among informal caregivers assisting people with multiple sclerosis

Objective.?To identify factors affecting the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of informal caregivers assisting people with (multiple sclerosis) MS who have greater functional impairment.

Methods.?Data were collected in a national survey of 530 people who provided informal care to people with MS. Multiple linear regression models analyzed these data.

Results.?Poorer overall health for the person with MS, stronger agreement by caregivers that care giving was burdensome or emotionally draining, and the caregiver's need for mental health counseling in the past 12 months were associated with lower mental dimensions of HRQOL for the informal caregiver. Greater caregiver satisfaction with the access the person with MS had to MS-focused care was associated with higher mental dimensions of HRQOL among caregivers.

Conclusions.?Increasing access to MS-focused care could improve not only the health of people with MS, but also improve the mental dimensions of caregiver HRQOL. Our findings highlight the importance of addressing the mental health needs of informal caregivers assisting people with MS.     

Loneliness as a predictor of quality of life among older caregivers

AIM: This paper reports a study investigating quality of life in relation to loneliness, caregiving, social network, gender, age and economic status among caregiving men and women in a population-based sample aged 75 years or older. BACKGROUND: Because of demographic changes, in the future more care for older people will be given by informal caregivers who are themselves older. Being old and caring for another older person may affect various aspects of life, such as physical and emotional health and decreased time for respite, which may affect social life and quality of life. METHOD: A postal questionnaire including the Short Form Health Survey was used. The sample consisted of 4278 people, aged 75 years and over, living in Sweden. Of these, 783 (18%) were caregivers. FINDINGS: Caregivers had a larger social network and reported feelings of loneliness less often than non-caregivers. Forty per cent of caregivers helped every day. There were gender differences in experiences of loneliness during the last year, with the frequency of intense feelings of loneliness being higher among women. Loneliness and a small or non-existent network were significantly associated with low quality of life among caregivers, as well as in the total sample. The results showed significant association between loneliness, weak social network and low mental quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: The fact that loneliness was the most important factor predicting low quality of life among caregivers, as well as older people in general, indicates that it is crucial in the care of older people. From a nursing perspective, the findings indicate the advantage of helping older people to keep up and develop their social networks. Nursing care should involve steps to maintain the social network before an older person becomes too weak, since decreased health status makes social contacts more difficult.     

护理干预对脑卒中病人家庭照料者生活质量的影响

[目的]探讨护理干预对长期脑卒中病人家庭照料者生活质量的影响.[方法]将192名长期脑卒中病人家庭照料者分为两组,实验组96例进行护理干预,对照组96例不进行护理干预.[结果]实验组照料者生活质量明显高于对照组.[结论]运用护理干预能缓解照料者的疲劳,提高生活质量.     

设立家庭病床对社区失能老人及其家庭主要照顾者生存质量的影响

目的：探讨设立家庭病床对社区失能老人及其家庭主要照顾者生存质量的影响,为制定更有针对性的社区护理服务方式提供指导。方法抽取大同市御东新区符合纳入标准的失能老人244名及其家庭主要照顾者309名为研究对象,对其进行家庭病床护理服务干预,采用生存质量评价表（ GQOLI-74）比较干预前后两组人群的生存质量。结果干预1年后,失能老人的生存质量总得分为（60．21±10．89）分,高于干预前的（46．49±12．81）分,差异有统计学意义（t＝29．51,P＜0．01）;干预后家庭主要照顾者的生存质量总得分为（64．41±10．29）分,高于干预前的（51．79±9．83）分,差异有统计学意义（ t＝30．14,P＜0．01）。结论设立家庭病床能够有效改善社区失能老人及其家庭主要照顾者的生存质量。     

Hospice family caregivers’ quality of life

Aims and objectives. To study quality of life (QOL) and its important correlates among family caregivers of terminally ill patients receiving in‐home hospice care. Background. Caregiver QOL has been identified as a core outcome variable in studies of dying patients and their families, but few studies have assessed QOL among caregivers of patients with terminal illness, particularly those in hospice care. Design. For this cross‐sectional correlational study, 60 caregivers were recruited from two local in‐home hospice programmes in the Midwestern United States. Methods. Self‐report data were provided by caregivers using the Caregiver Quality of Life Index – Cancer, Spiritual Well‐Being Scale, American Pain Society Patient Outcomes Questionnaire, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status Rating and Medical Outcome Study Social Support Survey to measure their QOL, spirituality, health status and social support. Results. Caregivers’ educational status, physical health status, spirituality and qualitative and quantitative social support, as a set, explained 42% of the variance in their QOL. Caregivers with higher education, better physical health status, greater spirituality and more qualitative and quantitative social support, had a significantly better QOL. Conclusions. QOL for this sample of hospice caregivers was significantly predicted only by physical health status and spirituality, likely because of collinearity among the independent variables. Additional research is needed to explore the factors that sustain or promote caregivers’ QOL over time. Relevance to clinical practice. In the delivery of hospice services, the family caregiver is both a vital member of the health care team and a recipient of care. Health care providers should therefore pay more attention to the health status and spirituality of major caregivers, thus helping them maintain and improve their QOL.     

不同家庭结构对福州市农村老年人生活质量的影响

目的：了解不同家庭结构农村老年人的生活质量状况及影响因素。方法：采用方便抽样法选取福州市5个村的187名农村老年人作为调查对象,采用生活质量综合评定量表进行调查,比较不同家庭结构老年人生活质量的差异性。结果：农村老年人生活质量主要受是否空巢和健康状况的影响;农村空巢老年人在躯体功能、心理功能及物质功能维度的得分及生活质量总分低于非空巢老年人（P〈0.05）;4种不同家庭结构的老年人在社会功能、躯体功能、物质功能维度的得分及生活质量总分存在差异（P〈0.05）;与子女间不同居住关系的老年人生活质量没有统计学差异（P〉0.05）。结论：农村空巢老年人的生活质量水平低于非空巢老年人;无配偶老年人的生活质量状况较差,应引起社会的关注。     

乳腺癌患者照顾者生活质量与家庭功能的关系研究

目的了解乳腺癌患者照顾者生活质量状况及与家庭功能的相关性,为临床工作者制订提高乳腺癌患者照顾者生活质量的干预措施提供理论依据。方法采用世界卫生组织生存质量量表简表、家庭功能评定量表对217名乳腺癌患者的主要照顾者进行调查。结果乳腺癌患者照顾者的生活质量在心理领域、生理领域、社会关系领域、环境领域4个维度得分均低于国内常模(P0.01);乳腺癌患者照顾者的生活质量各领域得分与家庭功能呈负相关(P0.01);回归分析显示,文化程度、行为控制、沟通、家庭人均月收入与患者关系、角色、问题解决等因素影响患者生活质量(P0.01)。结论乳腺癌患者照顾者生活质量较低,其生活质量与家庭功能密切相关。     

Life satisfaction among informal caregivers in comparison with non-caregivers

Being a caregiver with responsibility for someone with reduced health compared with not being a caregiver may mean different views of life satisfaction. Knowledge of what leads to reduced life satisfaction in caregivers may be helpful in interventions. Informal caregivers gainfully employed or not, aged 50-89 years, were studied with regard to life satisfaction depending on the extent of caregiving to identify types of social support of value for caregivers. A cross-sectional study was conducted including a sample of 151 informal caregivers with a high caregiving extent, 392 caregivers with a lower caregiving extent and 1258 non-caregivers. The sample was randomly selected to correspond with older Swedes as a whole aged 50-89 years. A questionnaire containing a modified form of Older Americans' Resources Schedule (OARS) and Life Satisfaction Index Z (LSIZ) was used; 19.6% helped someone with activities of daily living and of these 27% stated that they did so frequently. Frequent caregiving implied significantly higher age, being more often married and retired, than less frequent caregivers and non-caregivers. Frequent caregivers also performed personal activities of daily living (PADL) to a higher extent than less frequent caregivers and had significantly lower LSIZ (mean 14.8) than less frequent caregivers (mean 17.6) and non-caregivers (mean 17.7). No significant differences were found between less frequent caregivers and non-caregivers in LSIZ. One-fourth had support from others, the commonest type being able to converse with a next of kin, and help and advice from professionals. Lower life satisfaction was associated with not being employed, low social resources, not refreshed after a night's sleep, overall poor health and frequent caregiving in the entire sample. High caregiving extent was associated with lower life satisfaction. The most important factors explaining lower life satisfaction among frequent caregivers were having low social resources and having poor health. Economic compensation or payment was the support most desired.     

优质护理对老年慢性支气管炎患者生活质量的影响

目的探讨优质护理对老年慢性支气管炎患者生活质量的影响。方法将本科80例老年慢性支气管炎住院患者,根据随机数字法分为对照组(常规护理)和观察组(优质护理),各40例,比较2组护理疗效、生活质量、治疗依从性及满意度。结果与对照组相比,观察组护理有效率显著增高(P0.05);与对照组相比,观察组生活质量各维度得分及总分均明显提高(P0.05);与对照组相比,观察组患者治疗依从性及护理满意度均显著提升(P0.05)。结论优质护理能够有效提高老年慢性支气管炎患者的生活质量,提升患者对治疗的依从性及护理服务满意度。     

肺癌患者主要照顾者生活质量与应对方式的研究

目的 探讨肺癌患者主要照顾者生活质量与应对方式状况,为制订有效的护理对策提供依据.方法 选择2009年1月至2011年3月住院治疗的126名符合纳入条件的肺癌患者主要照顾者为研究对象,应用一般资料调查问卷、生活质量测定量表简表和医学应对方式问卷进行调查.结果 肺癌患者主要照顾者的面对应对方式及回避应对方式的高水平组生活...     

护理干预对老年痛风患者生活质量的影响

目的探讨护理干预对老年痛风患者生活质量的影响。方法将50例老年痛风患者作为研究对象,分为治疗组扣对照组,每组各25例,治疗组实施护理干预,时照组进行常规健康宣教,对两组患者进行生活质量的评定,并观察患者血尿酸、饮食治疗依从性及相关知识掌握情况。结果两组的生活质量除生理功能外,社会功能、生理问题对日常活动的限制、心理问题对社会活动的限制、心理健康、活力、总体健康评价指标与1年前对比差异有统计学意义;治疗组血尿酸控制优于对照组;治疗组疗组饮食治疗依从性与对照比较,差异有统计学意义。结论护理干预对改善老年痛风患者的生活质量、控制血尿酸、提高其饮食治疗的依从性等有积极的作用。     

社区精神分裂症照顾者精神卫生知识知晓率及生活质量状况调查

目的：了解社区精神分裂症照顾者精神卫生知识知晓状况及生活质量状况,为社区干预提供依据。方法对129例社区精神分裂症患者照顾者采用精神卫生与心理保健知识问卷及世界卫生组织生存质量评定量表进行测评分析。结果本组精神分裂症照料者对精神卫生知识知晓率为55．8％,精神卫生基本知识正确回答率为35．7％-65．6％,平均43．2％;精神卫生知识知晓照料者生存质量评定量表的心理领域、独立性领域、社会关系领域及环境领域评分显著高于不知晓者（ P＜0．05或0．01）。结论社区精神分裂症患者精神卫生知识知晓状况较差,知晓者的生活质量明显高于不知晓者。     

Predictors of family caregivers' burden and quality of life when providing care for a family member with schizophrenia in the People's Republic of China

Limited research has been undertaken regarding family caregivers' burden and quality of life (QOL) when providing care for a family member with schizophrenia in the People's Republic of China. This study examined the following in Chinese families caring for a member with schizophrenia: (i) the level of family caregivers' burden and QOL; (ii) the relationships among the demographic characteristics of family caregivers, the demographic characteristics of family members with schizophrenia, and family caregivers' burden and QOL; and (iii) the best predictors of family caregivers' burden and QOL. The findings suggest that family caregivers suffer a high level of burden when caring for a family member with schizophrenia. Numerous significant correlations were found among the variables. The best predictor of family caregivers' burden was found to be their level of education, while the best predictors of family caregivers' QOL were physical health and household income.     

舒适护理对老年慢性阻塞性肺疾病患者生活质量的影响

目的探讨舒适护理对慢性阻塞性肺疾病老年患者生活质量的影响。方法将80例慢性阻塞性肺疾病老年患者随机分为2组,40例对照组患者接受常规护理,40例观察组患者进行舒适护理。结果观察组患者Pa(CO2)水平显著下降,与对照组比较差异有统计学意义(P0.05);观察组患者社交活动评分、日常活动评分显著高于对照组,而焦虑抑郁评分与住院时间显著低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论老年慢性阻塞性肺疾病患者接受全面的舒适护理,能够有效改善患者肺功能状态,提高患者生活质量,值得进一步研究推广。     

延续性护理对老年晚期肿瘤患者生活质量及希望水平的影响

目的 探讨延续性护理对老年晚期肿瘤患者生活质量及希望水平的影响。方法 选取我院2017年1月至12月收治的30例老年晚期肿瘤患者为对照组,采用常规护理。选取我院2018年1月至12月收治的30例老年晚期肿瘤患者为观察组,采用延续性护理。比较两组患者干预前后生活质量和希望水平变化情况。结果 两组患者出院时Herth 希望量表（HHI）、健康调查简表（SF-36）各纬度方面的评分均无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。观察组出院后3个月HHI量表的积极态度、积极行动、亲密关系和总体评分均高于对照组,差异具有统计学意义（P＜0.05）;观察组出院后3个月SF-36量表的生理功能、精神状态、社会功能、一般健康评分均高于对照组,差异具有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。结论 在老年晚期肿瘤患者在出院后给予延续护理,可有效提高他们的希望水平,改善患者的生活质量。