Health-related Quality Of Life And The Influence Factors Of Primary Caregivers Of Children With Autism

Objectives The objectives of the study included:(1) to investigate the health related quality of life of primary caregivers of children with autism;(2) to compare the health related quality between primary caregivers of children with autism and primary caregivers of normal children;(3) to explore the influence factors of health related quality of life of primary caregivers of children with autism.Methods A cross-sectional study was employed.192primary caregivers of children with autism in11rehabilitation centers for children with autism in Changsha were investigated in the study, while207primary caregivers of normal children were investigated as the control group. A self-made general data questionnaire, the Short Form36Health Survey Questionnaire Version2.0(SF-36v2), Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire(SCSQ), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support(MSPSS), and Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) were used to measure the general data, the level of health related quality of life, coping style, and social support of primary caregivers of children with autism and primary caregivers of normal children, and the autism severity of children with autism, respectively. All the data were analyzed by SPSS19.0.Results (1) All domains of the health related quality of life of primary caregivers of children with autism were lower than those of primary caregivers of normal children, and the differences were significant (P<0.05).(2) Primary caregivers of children with autism got lower score in positive coping style than those of normal children, while they got higher score in negative coping style. And the differences were significant (P<0.05).(3) Primary caregivers of children with autism got lower scores in family support, friend support, other support and total social support than those of normal children. And the differences were significant (P<0.05).(4) Univariate analysis and multivariant linear stepwise regression analysis showed that the influence factors of all domains of the health related quality of life of primary caregivers included:child’s age, rehabilitation time, medical expense, caregiver’s age, caregiver’s gender, level of education, working or not, the average household income per month, place of residence, the relationship with the child, average care time per day, the autism severity of children with autism, coping style and social support.Conclusions (1) The primary caregivers of children with autism experience a significantly lower level of health related quality of life than those of normal children.(2) The primary caregivers of children with autism adopt less positive coping styles and more negative coping styles than those of normal children.(3) The primary caregivers of children with autism obtain less social support than those of normal children.(4) The influence factors of all domains of the health related quality of life of primary caregivers include:child’s age, rehabilitation time, medical expense, caregiver’s age, caregiver’s gender, level of education, working or not, the average household income per month, residence, the relationship with the child, average care time per day, the autism severity of children with autism, coping style and social support.