探討癌症病童母親健康的相關因素

Factors Related to Health Status in Mothers of Children with Cancer

背景：當兒童罹患癌症時，母親通常擔任主要照顧者而需長期照顧病童，此照護負荷難免影響其健康，但卻鮮少研究探討影響癌症病童母親健康的相關因素。
目的：本研究旨在探討影響癌症病童母親健康的相關因素。 方法：以南部兩間醫學中心120名癌症病童母親進行調查。結構式問卷包括人口學特性（病童、母親屬性）、社會支持之個人資源量表第二部份及杜克健康評估問卷。
結果：研究發現癌症病童母親的社會支持與健康有顯著正相關。母親的婚姻狀況與身體健康、社會健康、一般健康、焦慮、憂鬱、焦慮憂鬱及整體健康在統計上達顯著差異。母親的年齡及家庭的月收入與憂鬱達顯著差異。兒童疾病分期與母親的心理健康、一般健康、焦慮、憂鬱、焦慮憂鬱及整體健康達顯著差異。社會支持及兒童的疾病分期為影響癌症病童母親整體健康的預測因素，其解釋變異數為39%。
結論：實務應用 本研究結果有助於健康照護專業人員在實務上可加強關注兒童疾病分期對母親健康的影響，及加強癌症病童母親的社會支持以促進母親的健康。

Background: Mothers are typically the primary caretakers of children with cancer, and the burden of caring responsibilities may influence their health status. Few studies have previously explored factors related to the health status of mothers with children suffering from cancer.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine factors related to health status in mothers of children with cancer.
Methods: A total of 120 mothers of children with cancer were recruited from two medical centers in southern Taiwan. Associations among demographic data, the Social Support: Personal Resource Questionnaire (PRQ85) part 2, and the Duke Health Profile (DUKE) were examined using one-way ANOVA and stepwise regression.
Results: A significant, positive relationship was found between social support and mother health status. Marital status was related to physical health, social health, general health, anxiety, depression, anxiety-depression and total health score. The mother’s age and family monthly income were correlated with depression. Stage of child’s disease was correlated with mother’s mental health, general health, anxiety, depression, anxiety-depression and general health. Mother’s social support and stage of child’s disease were found to be significant predictors, accounting for 39% of variance in mother’s health status.
Conclusions / Implications for practice: Clinical staff should be aware that stage of (child’s) disease may influence the health status of the mother care-giver. Clinical staff should also further enhance social support to promote the health of mothers with children who have cancer.