Objective To investigate the
mental health and its correlated factors for
senile dementia caregivers in
nursing homes in Shenyang.
Methods Questionnaire survey was conducted among 174
senile dementia caregivers recruited from the
Nursing Home of Shenyang and Shenyang
Social Welfare Institute by using Symptom Check-List-90 (SCL-90),
Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) and
self-designed general information
questionnaire and to analyze the scores of
self rating scale of
nursing staff, the total score of
social support scale, and the factors affecting the
mental health status of
nursing staff. Results The SCL-90 scores of
senile dementia caregivers with
education levels from
illiteracy,
primary school or junior
high school,
high school or
secondary school, college or above were 130.50 ± 10.11, 132.70±12.55, 135.06±9.15, 129.24±8.83, the difference was statistically significant (F=15.05, P<0.01). The SCL-90 scores of
senile dementia caregivers with poor, general and good perceived
health status were 133.40±10.52, 132.60±11.32, 128.00 ±10.02, the differences were statistically significant (F=9.07, P<0.01). The SCL-90 scores of
family monthly
income of 1001 to 3000 yuan, 3001 to 5000 yuan and more than 5001 yuan were 132.90 ± 10.39, 132.80 ± 11.52, 131.50 ± 8.20, the difference was statistically significant (F=12.11, P<0.01). The multivariate
linear regression analysis showed that the regression coefficient of perceived
health status was-0.168 (t=2.880, P<0.01), monthly
family income was-0.145 (t=-2.512, P<0.05), SSRS was 0.121 (t=2.112, P<0.05). Conclusions
Mental health status of
senile dementia caregivers in Shenyang is poor. The
health sector should take some
measures to improve the degree of
social support,
nursing staff wages and to ensure their
health in order to promote physical and
mental health of
nursing staff and the
nursing level so as to improve the
quality of life of the
senile dementia elderly.