School of Health and Welfare, Dalarna University, 791 88 Falun, Sweden.
Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm University, Tomtebodavägen 18A, 171 65 Solna, Sweden.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Feb 4;19(3):1788. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19031788.
(1) Background: Spouse carers of persons with dementia (PwD) are particularly vulnerable to negative outcomes of care, yet research rarely focuses on their caregiving situation. This study explores factors associated with the positive value and negative impact of caregiving in spouse carers of PwD in Sweden. (2) Methods: The study was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey, with a convenience sample of spouse carers of PwD ( = 163). The questionnaire addressed: care situation, carer stress, health and social well-being, relationship quality and quality of support, and contained measures of positive value and negative impact of caregiving. (3) Results: Hierarchical regression models explained 63.4% variance in positive value and 63.2% variance in negative impact of caregiving. Three variables were significant in the model of positive value: mutuality, change in emotional closeness following dementia and quality of support. Six variables were significant in the model of negative impact: years in relationship, years as carer, behavioural stress, self-rated health, emotional loneliness and change in physical intimacy following dementia. (4) Conclusions: Support to spouse carers of PwD should address the carer-care-recipient relationship quality, although different aspects of the relationship should be addressed if both the positive value of caregiving is to be enhanced and the negative impact reduced.
(1) 背景：痴呆症患者（PwD）的配偶照顾者特别容易受到照顾负面结果的影响，但研究很少关注他们的照顾情况。本研究探讨了与瑞典痴呆症患者配偶照顾者的积极价值和消极影响相关的因素。(2) 方法：这是一项基于横断面问卷调查的研究，使用方便的 PwD 配偶照顾者样本（n=163）。问卷涉及：照顾情况、照顾者压力、健康和社会幸福感、关系质量和支持质量，并包含了照顾的积极价值和消极影响的衡量标准。(3) 结果：分层回归模型解释了 63.4%的积极价值和 63.2%的消极影响的方差。有三个变量在积极价值模型中具有统计学意义：相互性、痴呆症后情感亲密程度的变化和支持质量。有六个变量在消极影响模型中具有统计学意义：关系年限、照顾年限、行为压力、自我评估健康、情感孤独和痴呆症后身体亲密程度的变化。(4) 结论：为痴呆症患者的配偶照顾者提供支持应该解决照顾者-照顾对象关系的质量，但如果要提高照顾的积极价值并减少消极影响，则应该解决关系的不同方面。
