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 (1V1= 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 west need factor was the need for agement of nursing problems related to obility(M = 2.80) .
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.
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