ABSTRACT
<b>Introduction</b> : In recent years, aging of the population and the low birth rate are progressing rapidly in China, resulting in an increase in the number of elderly individuals engaged in the long-term care of an elderly family member (Jap. “Ro-ro kaigo”). We conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate the current Ro-ro kaigo situation and the factors related to the quality of life of the caregivers in two ethnic groups : Han Chinese and Korean Chinese.<br><b>Methods</b> : Fifty-one Korean Chinese households and sixty-one Han Chinese households (≥60 years old) in Changchun or Yanji of Jilin Province, China, participated. The quality of life of the caregivers was measured using the SF-8 health survey questionnaire. We conducted a multiple regression analysis to investigate the factors related to the caregivers' quality of life.<br><b>Results</b> : There was no significant difference in gender ratio and caregiver age between the two ethnic groups. In both groups, a spouse was often the cargiver. Factors related to the caregivers' quality of physical life were as follows. For the Korean Chinese : the caregivers' subjective feeling of health, and the number of the caregivers' diseases ; for the Han Chinese : the caregivers' subjective feeling of health, the care period, and the frequency of participation in community activities. Factors related to the caregivers' quality of the mental life were as follows. For the Korean Chinese : the frequency of consultation for nursing-care problems ; for the Han Chinese : the care-recipients' educational history, and having assistance on ceremonial occasions.<br><b>Conclusion</b> : The results suggest that good health is important to maintain the quality of physical life of elderly caregivers in both ethnic groups. As factors related to the physical and mental summary scores differed by ethnicity, support for the caregivers that considers their ethnic background is necessary.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the protective factors and risk factors of nosocomial infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) among health care workers (HCWs) , and thus provide the scientific basis for prevention and control of nosocomial infection. Methods: With the case-control study,a standardized questionnaire was used for data collection in three general hospitals where nosocomial infection had occurred. Univariate analysis was done at first. All concerned factors about SARS infection were scanned by using Chi-square test and Fisher' s exact test one by one, and determined as to whether they were risk factors or protective factors according to odd ratio (OR) score. Then, multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis was used to re-analyze the picked-out factors for finding out which factors played independent roles. Results: Twenty-two factors (nineteen protective factors and three risk factors), among the total fifty-six factors, were significantly associated with SARS infection. Multivariate unconditional logistic regression revealed that factors such as double exposure suits ( OR = 0.053 ), education ( OR =0.072), gloves ( OR =0.102), hands sterilized by iodine ( OR =0.231 ), room air ventilation (OR = 0.32), were significantly protective; conversely, tracheal intubation ( OR = 30.793 ) was a significant risk factor. Conclusion: Strict defense and antisepsis measures were pivotal in preventing SARS infection among high-risk medical personnel. Education about associated knowledge and effective air ventilation were also important factors.