慢性失能病人其家庭照顧者照顧型態與照顧壓力之性別差異

Family Caregivers Caregiving Patterns and Stress Related to Gender in Patients with Chronic Disability

目的：慢性失能病人逐年增加，其家庭照顧者所面臨照顧壓力值得重視。本研究目的為探討慢性失能病人其家庭照顧者照顧型態與照顧壓力之性別差異，期望能提供心理衛生工作者擬訂相關介入策略時考量。研究方法：本研究使用量化研究方式，研究對象為南部某地區醫院之慢性失能病人其家庭照顧者，請照顧者填寫基本屬性資料及家庭照顧者壓力量表。研究結果：在244位研究對象中，女性家庭照顧者129名（52.87％），男性115名（47.13％）。家庭照顧者平均年齡為55歲，提供照顧時間大多在一年以上，約有20％照顧時間為10年以上。使用喘息服務者極少，不到1％。相較於看護，女性家庭照顧者多選擇家人分擔照顧工作；而男性家庭照顧者選擇家人或看護分擔照顧比例相當。與被照顧者之關係上，女性家庭照顧者照顧配偶、父母以及公婆的比例相當；男性家庭照顧者大多照顧父母，第二為配偶，並無照顧岳父岳母的比例。家庭照顧者壓力量表中，女性家庭照顧者中，有一半以上的人目前承受相當沉重的負擔，男性家庭照顧者較多出現一些壓力徵兆。在心理社會因素、身體因素、情緒因素、社交經濟因素及總分中，女性家庭照顧者填答之壓力皆高於男性。結論：女性家庭照顧者比起男性，提供照護上更容易出現照顧壓力，可能與體力狀態、照顧因應策略、情緒調節能力與其他社會資源協助相關，值得心理衛生工作者進一步探討並擬定介入策略。 Objectives: Patients with chronic disability are increasing year by year, and the stress faced by family caregivers is worthy of attention. The aim of this study was to investigate the gender differences in caregiving patterns and stress of family caregivers in patients with chronic disability. Methods: This is a quantitative study. The participants included 244 family caregivers of patients with chronic disability. The caregivers were asked to fill out personal information and the Family Caregivers Stress Scale. Results: Of the 244 participants, 129 are female (52.87%) and 115 are males (47.13%). The average age is 55 years old. About 20% of the caregiving time is more than 10 years. There are less than 1% people who use the respite care service. Compared with foreign nursing workers, female family caregivers choose more family members to share the caregiving works; while male family caregivers choose foreign nursing workers or family members as well. In related to family relationships of receiving, female family caregivers have a similar proportion of spouses, parents and parents in-laws; male family caregivers mostly take care of their parents, second is a spouse, and there is no proportion of parents in-laws. In the Family Caregiver Stress Scale, in psychosocial factors, physical factors, emotional factors, social economic factors and total scores, female family caregivers are more pressured than men. Conclusions: Female family caregivers felt more stress than male, and may be related to hysical status, caregiving strategies, emotion regulation skills and other social resources assistance. It is worthwhile to establish intervention strategies.