失智症家庭照顧者問題處理能力預測因子之探討

Predictors of Competence in Family Caregivers of Dementia Patients

背景：失智症患者每一個階段不同病情的轉變，會增加照顧上的困難。當家庭照顧者能力無法滿足失智症患者的需求時，不僅對患者的健康產生影響，也會導致照顧者的身心健康問題。目的：探討國內失智症家庭照顧者能力之預測因子。方法：本研究為相關性橫斷式研究法，研究對象為123對居住於社區中的失智症患者及其家庭照顧者。結果：最能預測家庭照顧者問題處理能力的變項為照顧者的慢性疾病數、教育程度及失智症患者是否罹患其他慢性疾病。當家庭照顧者的慢性疾病數愈少，教育程度愈高以及失智症患者沒有罹患其他慢性疾病時，家庭照顧者的問題處理能力會愈好，此三個預測因子可解釋26.7%的變異量。結論：建議護理人員在提供衛教前，應先評估照顧者的問題處理能力及影響因素，尤其需評估照顧者本身的健康狀況，對於健康知識需求未被滿足之照顧者能儘早提供協助。在衛教內容設計時，也需考量照顧者的教育程度。此外，除了提供失智症行為問題因應的衛教外，也應提供個案相關疾病的衛教以確保衛教之效率與效益。

Background: Differences in dementia symptoms at different dementia stages increase the burden of caregiving. The inability of family caregivers to meet patient needs not only influences the health of the patient, but also impacts negatively on their personal physical and mental health.Purpose: This study explores predictors of competence in family caregivers of dementia patients.Methods: We designed a cross-sectional study to examine 123 participant groups. Each group included one individual diagnosed with dementia and one family caregiver.Results: Predictors of caregiver competence included few / no caregiver chronic diseases, relatively high level of caregiver education, and lack of comorbidities in the care recipient. These predictors explained 26.7% of total variance.Conclusion: We recommend that nurses evaluate caregivers' care competency in order to provide appropriate health information and assistance. Guidance provided should take into consideration the caregivers' educational background. Apart from providing information related to dementia behavior, nurses should also provide caregiver guidance information related to the effects of comorbidities on dementia, as appropriate.