Department of Psychiatry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China.
Heart Lung. 2011 Sep-Oct;40(5):412-9. doi: 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2010.04.011. Epub 2010 Jul 14.
Silicosis is the most common type of pneumoconiosis in Hong Kong. This study explored the clinical correlates of the caregiving burden and quality of life (QOL) among pneumoconiosis caregivers in Hong Kong.
The study sample included 112 patients with pneumoconiosis and their caregivers. Caregiving burden was measured using the Caregiving Burden Scale (CBS), and caregivers' QOL was assessed using the physical and mental components (PCS and MCS, respectively) of the Medical Outcomes Short Form-36. Pearson's correlation coefficient and Spearman's ρ were calculated to examine the relationship between CBS, PCS, and MCS scores and caregivers' and patients' sociodemographic variables. Stepwise regression analyses were performed to determine the independent correlates of CBS, PCS, and MCS scores.
Caregiving burden was correlated with certain patient characteristics (duration of disease, severity of dyspnea, exercise tolerance, depressive symptoms, daily functioning, and community living skills) and with caregivers' variables (depressive symptoms and availability of family support). Regression analysis showed that patients' daily functioning (β = -.345), caregivers' depressive symptoms (β = .509), and the availability of family support (β = .240) were independent correlates of caregiving burden, explaining 45% of the variance. The independent correlates of PCS included patients' severity of coexisting diseases (β = -.179) and caregivers' depressive symptoms (β = -.521). Both patients' (β = -.155) and caregivers' (β = -.633) depressive symptoms and patients' severity of dyspnea (β = -.183) were independent correlates of the MCS.
Caring for pneumoconiosis patients entails a significant caregiving burden for caregivers, and adversely affects their QOL. Caregivers' depressive symptoms are related to both their caregiving burden and QOL.
矽肺是香港最常见的尘肺病类型。本研究探讨了香港尘肺患者照顾者的照顾负担和生活质量（QOL）的临床相关性。
研究样本包括 112 名矽肺患者及其照顾者。照顾负担采用照顾负担量表（CBS）进行测量，照顾者的 QOL 采用医疗结局短式 36 量表的生理和心理成分（PCS 和 MCS）进行评估。Pearson 相关系数和 Spearman ρ 用于检验 CBS、PCS 和 MCS 评分与照顾者和患者社会人口统计学变量之间的关系。逐步回归分析用于确定 CBS、PCS 和 MCS 评分的独立相关因素。
照顾负担与某些患者特征（疾病持续时间、呼吸困难严重程度、运动耐量、抑郁症状、日常功能和社区生活技能）以及照顾者变量（抑郁症状和家庭支持可用性）相关。回归分析显示，患者的日常功能（β=-.345）、照顾者的抑郁症状（β=.509）和家庭支持的可用性（β=.240）是照顾负担的独立相关因素，解释了 45%的方差。PCS 的独立相关因素包括患者并存疾病的严重程度（β=-.179）和照顾者的抑郁症状（β= -.521）。患者（β=-.155）和照顾者（β=-.633）的抑郁症状以及患者呼吸困难的严重程度（β=-.183）是 MCS 的独立相关因素。
照顾矽肺患者对照顾者来说是一项重大的照顾负担，对他们的 QOL 产生不利影响。照顾者的抑郁症状与他们的照顾负担和 QOL 有关。
