Di Mattei Valentina E, Prunas Antonio, Novella Liliana, Marcone Alessandra, Cappa Stefano F, Sarno Lucio
Clinical and Health Psychology Unit Department of Clinical Neurosciences, San Raffaele-Turro Hospital, Milan, Italy.
Neurol Sci. 2008 Dec;29(6):383-9. doi: 10.1007/s10072-008-1047-6. Epub 2008 Dec 12.
Previous studies have shown that taking care of elderly, demented patients carries a high cost to caregivers' health, and is associated with negative consequences for physical and mental health. The aim of this study is to investigate which socio-demographic and clinical variables are significantly associated with higher levels of distress in caregivers, and the relationship between caregivers' levels of distress and the coping strategies they adopt.
The study samples 112 caregivers of demented patients, consecutively admitted to the Department of Neurology of San Raffaele-Turro Hospital (Milan, Italy).
Caregivers were asked to complete the CBI and the COPE. Caregivers with the highest levels of distress are characterised by an impaired physical health status. Avoidance coping may represent a risk factor associated with higher levels of distress; conversely, an active and problem-focused approach to stressful situations may act as a protective factor.
先前的研究表明，照顾老年痴呆患者会给照顾者的健康带来高昂代价，并对其身心健康产生负面影响。本研究的目的是调查哪些社会人口统计学和临床变量与照顾者更高程度的痛苦显著相关，以及照顾者的痛苦程度与他们所采用的应对策略之间的关系。
该研究对连续入住圣拉斐尔-图罗医院（意大利米兰）神经内科的112名痴呆患者的照顾者进行了抽样。
要求照顾者完成照顾负担指数（CBI）和应对方式问卷（COPE）。痛苦程度最高的照顾者的特点是身体健康状况受损。回避应对可能是与更高程度痛苦相关的一个风险因素；相反，对压力情境采取积极且以问题为导向的方法可能起到保护作用。
