頭部外傷病患出院前後家屬照顧者壓力源及因應方式之探討

The purpose of this study was to examine the stressors and coping of family caregivers before and after the discharge of head injury patients. This is a correlational and descriptive study. Twenty head injury patients and their family caregivers were selected by purposive sampling. The data were collected by means of chart review, observation, and interview. Two instruments, the Caregiver Stressor Survey and the Caregiver Coping Inventory, developed by the investigator, were used to measure caregivers’ stressors and coping strategies before and one month after patients’ discharge. The results demonstrated that three stressors, which resulted from the patient’s physical symptoms, the impairment of patients’ cognitive function, and knowledge deficit related to patient care, decreased significantly one month after patients’ discharge. However, neither the number or frequency of coping strategies used by caregivers changed significantly after patients’ discharge. The stressor related to impact of family function was a significant predictor of both the number and frequency of coping strategies used by family caregivers before patients’ discharge. The other stressor, related to knowledge and skills of patient care, was a significant predictor in the number of coping strategies used by family caregivers after patients’ discharge.