Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA.
Value Health. 2013 Jul-Aug;16(5):778-88. doi: 10.1016/j.jval.2013.04.007. Epub 2013 Jun 18.
Health utility of caregivers of children with autism was assessed by using the EuroQol five-dimensional (EQ-5D) questionnaire. Utility scores of autism caregivers were compared with norms for the general adult US population. Predictors of health utility were identified.
A cross-sectional online survey design was used. Caregivers registered with the Interactive Autism Network were approached for participation in the online survey. Three hundred and sixteen usable responses were received. Health utility among caregivers was calculated and compared with the US population norms by using Student's t test. Problems in EQ-5D questionnaire domains and utility scores were analyzed by study characteristics by using Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance. Factors predicting health utility were identified by using ordinary least square regression.
Roughly 94% of the caregivers who participated in the study were females. As compared to their counterparts in the general US population, caregivers who were aged 18 to 44 years and were females had lower utility scores (P < 0.001). Significant differences in utility scores were observed among caregivers. When compared to males, females had lower health utility. Caregivers of lower socioeconomic status had lower utility scores and reported more problems in EQ-5D questionnaire domains than did those from higher socioeconomic status. Caregiver burden was inversely correlated with health utility. Caregiver physical and mental health status, objective strain, education, and relationship with the care recipient were found to significantly predict health utility (adjusted R(2) ~57%).
Autism caregivers had lower health utility than did the general adult US population. There is an immediate need to address health concerns among this growing population.
使用欧洲五维健康量表（EQ-5D）问卷评估自闭症儿童照顾者的健康效用。将自闭症照顾者的效用评分与美国普通成年人群的标准进行比较。确定健康效用的预测因素。
采用横断面在线调查设计。向交互式自闭症网络注册的照顾者提出参与在线调查的邀请。共收到 316 份可用回复。通过学生 t 检验计算照顾者的健康效用，并与美国人群标准进行比较。通过使用 Kruskal-Wallis 方差分析比较研究特征的 EQ-5D 问卷域和效用评分的问题。通过普通最小二乘回归确定预测健康效用的因素。
大约 94%参与研究的照顾者为女性。与美国普通人群相比，年龄在 18 至 44 岁之间的女性照顾者的效用评分较低（P<0.001）。照顾者的效用评分存在显著差异。与男性相比，女性的健康效用较低。社会经济地位较低的照顾者的效用评分较低，并且在 EQ-5D 问卷域中报告的问题比社会经济地位较高的照顾者更多。照顾者负担与健康效用呈负相关。照顾者的身心健康状况、客观压力、教育程度以及与照顾对象的关系被发现显著预测健康效用（调整后的 R²~57%）。
自闭症照顾者的健康效用低于美国普通成年人群。迫切需要解决这一不断增长的人群的健康问题。
