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Health and Quality of Life Outcomes
Published in: Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 1/2012

Open Access 01-12-2012 | Research

Quality of life of caregivers with relatives suffering from mental illness in Hong Kong: roles of caregiver characteristics, caregiving burdens, and satisfaction with psychiatric services

Authors: Daniel Fu Keung Wong, Angus Yuk Kit Lam, Sau Kam Chan, Shuk Fan Chan

Published in: Health and Quality of Life Outcomes | Issue 1/2012

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Abstract

Background

The study attempted to explore the quality of life (QoL) of Chinese caregivers with mentally ill relatives. It also aimed to examine the differential roles of caregiving burdens, caregiver characteristics, and satisfaction with psychiatric services in caregivers' QoL.

Methods

276 caregivers with relatives attending community psychiatric facilities in Hong Kong were invited to fill out a questionnaire. One sample t-tests were conducted to compare the results of this study with that of other Chinese populations in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and mainland China. A hierarchical regression analysis was performed to examine the relative influence of different factors on caregivers' QoL.

Results

Our sample of caregivers had significantly lower QoL scores than other Chinese populations. Results also suggest that Chinese caregivers who had chronic illness, younger in age, a lower education level, experienced more difficulties in handling negative symptoms, and were more dissatisfied with mental health services had poorer quality of life. Indeed, caregiver characteristics displayed a much stronger association with caregivers' QoL than did caregiving burdens and satisfaction with psychiatric services.

Conclusions

This study supports the strong association of caregiver characteristics and the QoL of caregivers and establishes the nature of the relationship between satisfaction with mental health services and caregiver QoL. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
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Metadata
Title
Quality of life of caregivers with relatives suffering from mental illness in Hong Kong: roles of caregiver characteristics, caregiving burdens, and satisfaction with psychiatric services
Authors
Daniel Fu Keung Wong
Angus Yuk Kit Lam
Sau Kam Chan
Shuk Fan Chan
Publication date
01-12-2012
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Health and Quality of Life Outcomes / Issue 1/2012
Electronic ISSN: 1477-7525
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7525-10-15

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