A Study on the Care Needs of Family-Caregivers and the Level of Self Care for Patients of Cerebral Vascular Accident(CVA) / 기본간호학회지

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to explore the care needs of family-caregivers caring for patients with a CVA and the level of self care of the patients. The subjects for the study were 112 patients with a CVA and their caregivers. These patients were seen in a hospital or out-patient-department(OPD) at two oriental medical hospital in Jeonbuk province. The survey instruments used in this study were Kang's ADL checklist for self care of patients and Kim's Likert-style checklist for care needs of family-caregivers to patient with CVA. The survey was conducted from July 4 to August 30, 1999. Internal validity by calculation of Cronbach's alpha was 0.95, which was regarded as high. The survey results were analyzed using the SPSS program, with percentages, means, t-test, ANOVA and Pearson's correlation coefficients. The results of this study are as follows 1. The level of self care for patients with a CVA was 1) complete dependence(M=14.9, 13.1%), 2) complete independence(M=23.6, 20.9%), 3) incomplete independence(M=23.9, 21.0%), 4) incomplete dependence(M=26.6, 25.0%), 5) dependence and independence(M=23.0, 20.0%). The items for which there was a high level of self care were 1) drinking(M=3.62), 2) eating (M=3.25), 3) position returning(M=3.18) and the items for which there was a low level of self care were 1) ascending and descending stairs(M=2.08), 2) walking(M=2.47), 3) putting on and taking off trousers(M=2.55). 2. The mean score of the sum of the care needs of the family-caregivers was 1) need for immediate care and help 2) need of the way to communicate with patient 3) need for education and assistance related to physical functional level 4) need to be informed about the disease, treatment and care 5) need for social support and consultation 6) need for appreciation 7) need for management of nursing problems related to immobility. The highest meed factor was the need for immediate care and help(M=3.47) and lowest need factor was the need for management of nursing problems related to immobility(M=2.80). 3. There were significant differences between the level of care need and general characteristic of the caregivers, there were family-caregivers age(P=0.001), marital status (P=0.276), occupation (P=0.006), monthly income(P=0.000), patient's relationship to caregivers (P=0.004) and health(P=0.000). 4. There were significant differences between the level of self care and general characteristic of the patients, there were patient paralytic condition(P=0.01), blood pressure(P=0.01), and length of suffering (P=0.03). 5. There were significant differences between the level of care need and the general characteristic factors, which were CVA patient's blood pressure (P=0.05), problem of medical fee (P=0.05). 6. There was significantly correlation with the family-caregivers care need and the level of self care in the CVA patient (r=0.300, P=0.000). As a result, need to promote the level of self care in patients and to meet the care need of family-caregivers for more efficient nursing of CVA patients, is emphasized. Therefore more study is needed on an efficient way to provide rehabilitation and quality nursing interventions for family-caregivers and patients with CVA.