School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, 451, Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H8M5, Canada.
Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2011 May 9;9:29. doi: 10.1186/1477-7525-9-29.
Since the majority of stroke survivors return home following their stroke, families play a pivotal role in their care. Few studies have addressed both positive and negative aspects of this role or the broader construct of health-related quality of life (HRQL). Furthermore, little consideration has been given to the context of care in terms of relationship quality, and reciprocity. The present study examined the relationships between caregiver quality of life (HRQL), caregiver role, relationship satisfaction, balance and reciprocity in caregivers of partners who had experienced a stroke. Specific hypotheses were made based on equity theory in social relations.
Fifty-six partner caregivers completed a postal survey that included measures of HRQL (SF-36), caregiver role (negative and positive aspects), relationship satisfaction, reciprocity and balance. Data were also collected on the care recipients' quality of life (Stroke Specific Quality of Life scale).
Compared to a normative sample, caregivers' HRQL was lower for all SF-36 domains. Care recipient and caregiver age, care recipient quality of life and caregiver role (negative) significantly predicted physical component summary scores on the SF-36, while care recipient quality of life and caregiver role (negative) significantly correlated with mental component summary scores. Relationship satisfaction and intrinsic rewards of caregiving were found to be important predictors of positive aspects of the caregiver role. Caregivers who viewed their relationship as less balanced in terms of give and take had significantly greater caregiver burden than those who viewed their relationship as more equitable.
The study highlights the importance of taking a broader approach to examining partner caregiving in the context of stroke, in terms of the caregiving relationship and their influence on the health and well-being of caregivers.
由于大多数中风幸存者在中风后会返回家中，因此家庭在他们的护理中起着关键作用。很少有研究涉及到这个角色的积极和消极方面，也很少有研究涉及到更广泛的健康相关生活质量（HRQL）概念。此外，很少有人考虑到关系质量和互惠在护理方面的背景。本研究考察了经历过中风的伴侣照顾者的照顾者生活质量（HRQL）、照顾者角色、关系满意度、平衡和互惠之间的关系。根据社会关系中的公平理论提出了具体的假设。
56 名伴侣照顾者完成了一项邮寄调查，其中包括 HRQL（SF-36）、照顾者角色（积极和消极方面）、关系满意度、互惠和平衡的衡量标准。还收集了照顾者的生活质量（中风特定生活质量量表）的数据。
与常模样本相比，所有 SF-36 领域的照顾者 HRQL 都较低。照顾者和被照顾者的年龄、被照顾者的生活质量和照顾者的角色（负面）显著预测了 SF-36 的生理成分综合评分，而被照顾者的生活质量和照顾者的角色（负面）与心理成分综合评分显著相关。关系满意度和护理的内在回报被认为是照顾者角色积极方面的重要预测因素。那些认为自己的关系在给予和索取方面不平衡的照顾者，其照顾者负担比那些认为自己的关系更公平的照顾者负担要大得多。
本研究强调了在中风背景下，从照顾关系及其对照顾者健康和幸福的影响的更广泛角度来考察伴侣照顾的重要性。
