台灣失智人口比例逐年增加,失智症患者的照護問題以及家庭照顧負荷也逐漸的受到重視,本研究目的以失智症的發展歷程,描述照顧者負荷的變化,並探討影響照顧負荷之相關因素。本研究以量化研究方式進行,以立意取樣之方式在彰化地區某區域醫院以及某基金會為收案地區,共收集到105 份有效樣本。 研究結果發現,照顧者仍以女性居多,照顧者多數為患者的子女,其照顧負荷女性比男性重,照顧者有工作超載與角色衝突之情況。在照顧者特質方面,其照顧者的睡眠與焦慮情形以及經濟負擔皆與照顧負荷相關;失智症患者特質方面,日常生活功能以及BPSD與照顧負荷相關,在社會支持部分,其正式社會支持足夠與否與照顧負荷相關。綜合變項進行迴歸分析,其照顧者焦慮、經濟負擔以及正式社會支持足夠與否有良好的預測力。 針對研究結果提出臨床實務面以及政策兩大面向之建議,實務工作者需針對照顧者的生理、心理以及社會面向進行多重評估,以及照顧者因應與準備能力提升;政策面則提倡建立失智症個案管理模式之重要性。 關鍵字:失智症、家庭照顧者、照顧負荷、社會支持
Abstract Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze the factors associated with caregiver burden in the provision of care to patients with dementia. Method: A total of 105 dementia patient-caregiver pairs participated in the survey. Using the Chinese version of the Zarit Burden Interview, the demographic information of patients and caregivers was collected. Meanwhile, factors associated with caregiver burden were measured. Results: According to the results of data analysis, fifty-eight percent of caregivers were female and 64% were the patient’s daughter or son. The average duration of care was 4.1 years and the average time spent on care was12.7 hours per day. Factors such as anxiety, economic status and social support were independent predictors of caregiver burden (adjusted R2 = 0.44; p =.000) on multivariate regression analysis. Conclusions: Caregiver burden was associated with variables such as duration of caregiving, economic status and anxiety. Characteristics of patients such as ADL and behavioral symptoms also affected level of burden of caregivers. It is suggested that family caregiver burden be considered when practitioners assess and provide interventions for patients with dementia. Key words: burden, caregiver, dementia, social support