家庭照顧者之失智症飲食營養知識與其個人基本屬性之關聯性探討

The Relationship Between Diet Nutrition Knowledge and Demographic Characteristics in Family Caregivers of Patients With Dementia

背景：雖然家庭照顧者對於失智症家人的整體照顧知識曾被探討，但較少被聚焦於單獨了解其失智症飲食營養知識面向。此研究有助於了解他們處置病人飲食與營養問題。目的：探討家庭照顧者對失智症飲食營養知識的了解程度，並分析家庭照顧者之失智症飲食營養知識是否因此照顧者人口學特性和失智者的失智程度而有差異。方法：採橫斷式研究，研究對象為220位失智者之主要家庭照顧者。結果：研究結果顯示家庭照顧者於失智症飲食營養知識13題中之整體平均答對率為71.9%，其中「失智剛開始的階段，容易出現營養不夠的問題」這題僅28.2%研究對象答對。本研究亦發現家庭照顧者的失智症飲食營養知識會因教育程度（F=3.989,p<.05）及有無申請外籍看護（t=-2.919, p<.01）而有顯著的差異。結論：家庭照顧者的失智症飲食營養知識整體表現尚佳，惟在某些特定部分認知上較有缺失。此外，教育程度越高及有申請外籍看護者，其失智症飲食營養知識表現亦較好。本研究結果可作為護理人員進行失智症家庭照顧者飲食營養衛教之參考且需特別關注起始階段的病人之營養狀況；以及照顧者屬於低教育程度或沒有外力協助者，期提升居家失智症的飲食營養照護品質。 Background: Although the general-care knowledge of family caregivers related to dementia had been studied, little attention has been given to understanding the knowledge of caregivers related to dementia diet nutrition. This knowledge is important to help caregivers handle the eating and nutrition problems of people with dementia (PwD). Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the dementia diet nutrition knowledge of family primary caregivers and to analyze whether demographic characteristics of caregivers and/or the dementia stages of PwD have a relationship with dementia diet nutrition knowledge. Methods: A descriptive and cross-sectional study using a questionnaire survey was conducted. A total of 220 primary family caregivers of people with dementia were recruited. Results: Results showed that the average total score for the 13 questions on diet nutrition knowledge was 71.85%. Moreover, only 28.2% of the participants answered the question “Malnutrition is a significant risk during the early stage of dementia” correctly. In addition, the findings showed significant differences in the diet nutrition knowledge of participants based on education level (F = 3.989, p < .05) and the use of foreign (non-Taiwanese) caregivers (t = -2.919, p < .01). Conclusions: The participants had sufficient overall diet nutrition knowledge of dementia. However, they lacked knowledge in specific areas. Family caregivers with higher levels of education and those who hired foreign caregivers had better knowledge scores. The results may be used as a reference for nurses providing dementia dietary education. It is recommended that special attention be given to dietary education when patients are at the early onset phase of the disease and when caregivers have a lower level of education in order to improve the overall quality of dementia dietary care in the community.