Psychosocial Responses and Quality of Life among Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients and Their Caregivers.
- Author:
Hyunjin OH
1
Author Information
1. Department of Nursing, Daejeon University, Korea. hyunjino@gmail.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis;
Quality of life;
Caregivers
- MeSH:
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis;
Caregivers;
Humans;
Quality of Life
- From:Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
2011;14(2):103-110
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the psychosocial responses and quality of life (QOL) among Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients and their caregivers in South Korea. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used. Purposive sample of 15 ALS patients and their 14 caregivers were recruited via Korean Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association (KALSA) website. Demographic characteristics, hopelessness, quality of life, physical function, and caregiver burden were measured. RESULTS: The mean period after being diagnosed with ALS was 57.73 months. The mean score of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis functional rating scale and quality of life was 21.33 (SD=11.97) and 5.70 (SD=1.23) respectively. The mean score of hopelessness was 11.87 (SD=4.72). The caregivers' mean score of McGill quality of life was 4.29 (SD=1.46), and the mean score of McGill quality of life-single item scale was 4.29 (SD=2.02). CONCLUSION: Since the cause of ALS has not been identified and cure is yet to be discovered, supportive care should be provided for not only quality of life but hope of patients. The findings may be used to develop knowledge based nursing intervention for patients diagnosed with ALS and their caregivers.
