Kenny Patricia M, Hall Jane P, Zapart Siggi, Davis Pauline R
Centre for Health Economics Research & Evaluation, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
J Pain Symptom Manage. 2010 Jul;40(1):35-48. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2009.11.322. Epub 2010 Jun 8.
Health is an important factor in the capacity of family and friends (informal carers) to continue providing care for palliative care patients at home. This study investigates associations between the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of current informal carers and characteristics of the carers and their caregiving situation, in a sample of Australian carers of palliative care patients. The cross-sectional study used the Short Form-36 Health Survey to measure HRQOL. It found carers to have better physical health and worse mental health than the general population. Of 178 carers, 35% reported their health to be worse than it was one year ago. Multiple regression analyses found that the HRQOL of carers whose health had deteriorated in the previous year was associated with the patient's care needs but not the carer's time input, unlike the carers reporting stable health. Clinicians caring for palliative care patients should be alert to the potential health impairments of informal carers and ensure that they are adequately supported in their caregiving role and have access to appropriate treatment and preventive health care.
健康是家人和朋友（非正式护理人员）能够继续在家中为姑息治疗患者提供护理的一个重要因素。本研究在澳大利亚姑息治疗患者的非正式护理人员样本中，调查当前非正式护理人员的健康相关生活质量（HRQOL）与护理人员特征及其护理情况之间的关联。这项横断面研究使用简短健康调查问卷-36来测量健康相关生活质量。研究发现，与普通人群相比，护理人员的身体健康状况较好，但心理健康状况较差。在178名护理人员中，35%的人表示自己的健康状况比一年前更差。多元回归分析发现，与健康状况保持稳定的护理人员不同，上一年健康状况恶化的护理人员的健康相关生活质量与患者的护理需求有关，而与护理人员投入的时间无关。照顾姑息治疗患者的临床医生应警惕非正式护理人员潜在的健康损害，并确保他们在护理角色中得到充分支持，能够获得适当的治疗和预防性医疗保健。
