Abstract
Objective: To explore the relative contributions of different types of informal social support towards the well-being of caregivers for patients with dementia in Hong Kong.
Participants and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 134 caregivers for patients with dementia completed questionnaires assessing the informal social support available to them and its effect on their psychological well-being in terms of depressive symptoms and general life satisfaction.
Results: Informal social support was significantly associated with the well-being of caregivers for persons with dementia. The emotional support provided by spouses and children was found to have significant correlation with enhanced life satisfaction and decreased depressive symptoms in the caregivers.
Conclusions: Informal social support correlates strongly with psychological well-being in caregivers managing patients with dementia. Different sources and types of informal support can have differential effects on well-being.
目的：研究非正式社交支持與失智症照顧者身心健康的關係。同時，探討哪一種非正式的社交支持對照顧者有最大的影響。
參與者與方法：本橫斷面研究對象為134名失智症照顧者。他們分別接受問卷調查，內容包括不同種類的支持，以及這些支持在抑鬱徵狀及對生活滿意程度兩方面的身心健康的影響。
結果：調查結果顯示，非正式的社交支持對照顧者的身心健康有着正面影響。而當中由伴侶或子女所提供的精神上支持更能減少照顧者的抑鬱徵狀及提升對生活的滿意度。
結論：非正式的社交支持對維持失智症照顧者的身心健康有重大幫助，但不同人士所提供的非正式支持為照顧者帶來的影響存有差異。 Copyright © 2009 Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists.
Participants and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 134 caregivers for patients with dementia completed questionnaires assessing the informal social support available to them and its effect on their psychological well-being in terms of depressive symptoms and general life satisfaction.
Results: Informal social support was significantly associated with the well-being of caregivers for persons with dementia. The emotional support provided by spouses and children was found to have significant correlation with enhanced life satisfaction and decreased depressive symptoms in the caregivers.
Conclusions: Informal social support correlates strongly with psychological well-being in caregivers managing patients with dementia. Different sources and types of informal support can have differential effects on well-being.
目的：研究非正式社交支持與失智症照顧者身心健康的關係。同時，探討哪一種非正式的社交支持對照顧者有最大的影響。
參與者與方法：本橫斷面研究對象為134名失智症照顧者。他們分別接受問卷調查，內容包括不同種類的支持，以及這些支持在抑鬱徵狀及對生活滿意程度兩方面的身心健康的影響。
結果：調查結果顯示，非正式的社交支持對照顧者的身心健康有着正面影響。而當中由伴侶或子女所提供的精神上支持更能減少照顧者的抑鬱徵狀及提升對生活的滿意度。
結論：非正式的社交支持對維持失智症照顧者的身心健康有重大幫助，但不同人士所提供的非正式支持為照顧者帶來的影響存有差異。 Copyright © 2009 Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 57-64 |
| Journal | Hong Kong Journal of Psychiatry |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2009 |
Citation
Au, A., Lau, K. M., Koo, S., Cheung, G., Pan, P. C., & Wong, M. K. (2009). The effects of informal social support on depressive symptoms and life satisfaction in dementia caregivers in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Journal of Psychiatry, 19(2), 57-64.Keywords
- Caregivers
- Depressive disorder
- Personal satisfaction
- Social support
- Stress, psychological
- 照顧者
- 抑鬱徵狀
- 個人滿意度
- 社會支持
- 心理壓力
- Alt. title: 非正式社交支持對香港失智症照顧者身心健康的影響