Torp Steffen, Hanson Elizabeth, Hauge Solveig, Ulstein Ingun, Magnusson Lennart
Centre for Health Promotion in Settings, Faculty of Health Sciences, Vestfold University College, Tønsberg, Norway.
Health Soc Care Community. 2008 Jan;16(1):75-85. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2524.2007.00725.x.
The objective of this pilot Norwegian intervention study was to explore whether use of information and communication technology (ICT) by informal carers of frail elderly people living at home would enable them to gain more knowledge about chronic illness, caring and coping, establish an informal support network and reduce stress and related mental health problems. Potential participants were close relatives of an elderly person with a diagnosis of a chronic illness dwelling in the same household who wished to continue caring for their relative at home, were 60 years of age or older, had been caring for less than 2 years, were a computer novice and had Norwegian as their first language. Nineteen elderly spousal carers participated in the study from two municipalities in eastern Norway. The project commenced in January 2004 and consisted of a multimethod evaluation model. Outcomes measured included carers' social contacts (measured by the Family and Friendship Contacts scale); burden of care (measured by the Relative Stress scale); and knowledge about chronic disease and caring, stress and mental health and use of ICT (examined via a composite carer questionnaire). These quantitative data were collected immediately prior to the study and at 12 months. Qualitative data were also collected via focus group interviews with participant carers at 7 months. At follow-up, quantitative measures did not reveal any reduction in carer stress or mental health problems. However, carers reported extensive use of the ICT service, more social contacts and increased support and less need for information about chronic illness and caring. Contact with and support from other carers with similar experiences was particularly valued by participants. The intervention also enhanced contacts with family and friends outside the carer network. Thus, it can be seen that ICT has the potential to contribute to health promotion among elderly spousal carers.
这项挪威试点干预研究的目的是探讨居家体弱老年人的非正式照料者使用信息通信技术（ICT）是否能使他们获得更多关于慢性病、照料和应对方面的知识，建立非正式支持网络，并减轻压力及相关心理健康问题。潜在参与者是家中有慢性病诊断的老年人的近亲，他们希望继续在家照料亲属，年龄在60岁及以上，照料时间少于2年，是计算机新手且母语为挪威语。19名老年配偶照料者参与了来自挪威东部两个自治市的研究。该项目于2004年1月启动，由一个多方法评估模型组成。测量的结果包括照料者的社会接触（通过家庭和友谊接触量表测量）；照料负担（通过亲属压力量表测量）；以及关于慢性病和照料、压力和心理健康以及ICT使用的知识（通过综合照料者问卷进行调查）。这些定量数据在研究开始前和12个月时收集。定性数据也在7个月时通过与参与照料者的焦点小组访谈收集。在随访中，定量测量未显示照料者压力或心理健康问题有任何减轻。然而，照料者报告广泛使用了ICT服务，有更多的社会接触，获得了更多支持，对慢性病和照料信息的需求减少。参与者特别重视与有类似经历的其他照料者的联系和支持。该干预还加强了与照料者网络之外的家人和朋友的联系。因此，可以看出ICT有潜力促进老年配偶照料者的健康。
