부산대학교 도서관

Objectives: To investigate the correlation between social support and quality of life (QoL) among family caregivers of patients with dementia in Taiwan. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List and WHOQOL-BREF questionnaires to investigate the sources of social support (emotional, informational, instrumental, and appraisal support) and to analyze QoL in several domains (physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment) among family caregivers of patients with dementia in Yunlin and Chiayi, Taiwan. Demographic variables and care patterns were also analyzed. Bivariate and multiple regression analyses were performed to evaluate the correlations between the factors associated with social support and QoL. Results: A total of 384 family caregivers of patients with dementia completed the survey. The response rate was 86.7%. The average age of the participants was 58.08 years, and 61.72% of the participants were women. The average care duration was 3.97 years. The participants reported receiving more social support from healthcare professionals than from family and friends. Among the QoL domains, physical health had the highest score and psychological health was higher among men than among women. The QoL scores in all four domains were significantly lower for spouses and full-time caregivers than for the other types of caregivers. Conclusions: The family caregivers of patients with dementia in rural areas receive more social support and have a better QoL than those in urban areas. Cooperation among medical professionals, the community, and family members is essential for effective dementia care. These findings can be used as a reference for the development of dementia care policies.