Almehmadi Soha, Alrashed Abeer M
College of Business Administration, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
J Egypt Public Health Assoc. 2023 Feb 15;98(1):2. doi: 10.1186/s42506-023-00130-y.
Even though informal caregivers have always been a major element within any society, their contribution to the healthcare system has only recently been recognized. Accordingly, the sustainability of their informal social role is becoming a major concern to policymakers. In Saudi Arabia, recognition of informal caregiving is still limited. This study was carried out to investigate the experience of caregiving in informal settings through identifying the needs of the caregivers along with their expectations of the formal system.
A cross-sectional study was conducted to measure the experience of Saudi informal caregivers who were caring for at least one individual with a dependency resulting from either disability, aging, or both. A self-administered questionnaire was designed specifically for this study with 88% reliability. A convenient sample of 300 caregivers was invited electronically through 14 websites supporting families with dependent individuals.
Of the eligible participants (n = 271), about two-thirds were caring for one elderly person or more, while one-third were caring for individual(s) with disabilities. The two groups did not differ in their needs; their greatest perceived needs were necessary equipment for care recipients, free time to socialize, alternative care setting, and proper income. Overall, the needs on the system level were the highest, followed by the needs on the financial level, then on the social level. On the other hand, the caregivers of individuals with disabilities had greater expectations of formal support than caregivers of the elderly. The greatest expectation among the participants was facilitating care recipients' mobility within their communities. Overall, the expectations of information support were the highest followed by the expectations of financial support and then material support.
The participants expressed great expectations of formal support along with some unmet needs. Further research is recommended to emphasize the role of primary caregivers along with the nature of the assistance received throughout the caregiving process. The needs of individuals with dependencies along with those of the caregivers must be considered in the planning process of healthcare services. Finally, the expectations of informal caregivers should lead the priorities of the development decisions of long-term care services.
尽管非正式照料者一直是任何社会的重要组成部分，但他们对医疗保健系统的贡献直到最近才得到认可。因此，他们非正式社会角色的可持续性正成为政策制定者的主要关切。在沙特阿拉伯，对非正式照料的认可仍然有限。本研究旨在通过确定照料者的需求及其对正式系统的期望，调查非正式环境下的照料经历。
进行了一项横断面研究，以衡量照顾至少一名因残疾、衰老或两者导致生活不能自理者的沙特非正式照料者的经历。专门为本研究设计了一份自填式问卷，信度为88%。通过14个为有生活不能自理者的家庭提供支持的网站，以电子方式邀请了300名照料者作为便利样本。
在符合条件的参与者（n = 271）中，约三分之二的人在照顾一名或多名老年人，而三分之一的人在照顾残疾人。两组在需求上没有差异；他们最明显的需求是为受照料者提供必要设备、社交的空闲时间、替代照料场所和适当收入。总体而言，系统层面的需求最高，其次是财务层面的需求，然后是社会层面的需求。另一方面，残疾人士的照料者比老年人的照料者对正式支持的期望更高。参与者中最大的期望是便利受照料者在其社区内的行动。总体而言，信息支持的期望最高，其次是财务支持的期望，然后是物质支持的期望。
参与者对正式支持表达了很高的期望，同时也有一些未得到满足的需求。建议进一步开展研究，以强调主要照料者的作用以及在整个照料过程中获得的援助的性质。在医疗服务规划过程中，必须考虑生活不能自理者及其照料者的需求。最后，非正式照料者的期望应引领长期护理服务发展决策的优先事项。
