The Change in Family Structure and Income for Community-dwelling Patients with Brain Disorders.
- Author:
Ja Ho LEIGH
1
;
Keewon KIM
;
Sung Jin JUNG
;
Se Hee JUNG
;
Kyoung Moo LEE
;
Si Woon PARK
;
Min Ho CHUN
;
Han Young JUNG
;
Il Soo KIM
;
See Hyun KIM
;
Tai Ryoon HAN
Author Information
1. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Korea. tairyoon@snu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Stroke;
Brain disorder;
Family structure;
Socioeconomic state;
Caregiver employment
- MeSH:
Brain;
Brain Diseases;
Caregivers;
Divorce;
Employment;
Female;
Humans;
Korea;
Male;
Surveys and Questionnaires;
Social Isolation;
Stroke
- From:Journal of the Korean Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine
2010;34(2):120-127
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: To find out the changes of the family structure and familial total income of Korean patients with the brain disorders and associated factors. METHOD: A total of 1,903 patients with brain disorders in Korea were enrolled and drew up the questionnaires about their socioeconomic state and family supports, including pre- and post-disorder family structure, compositions of their family income, and employment of caregivers. RESULTS: A 38.2% of subjects experienced the change in numbers of cohabiting family, decrement in 30.3% and increment in 7.9%. Prior to brain disorders, 48.6% of patients earned their living by themselves, but only 2.8% did after brain disorders. Separation and divorce increased, especially three times more in male patients than in females. A 16.6% of patients employed caregivers, and used them 6.2 days per week, 18 hours a day on average. CONCLUSION: This study reemphasized the worsening socioeconomic state of patients with brain disorders and their families. Increasing tendency of social isolation was also noted.