A Study On Quality Of Life And Its Affected Factors Of 91 Inpatients With Senile Dementia In Changsha

Objectives: To investigate the Quality of Life (QOL) of inpatients with senile dementia; to explore the factors which influence QOL and provide foundation for clinical nursing intervention both in data and theory.Methods: The random-sampling designed study interviewed 91 inpatients with senile dementia in Changsha. The senile dementia patients were assessed by Self-design Common Data Questionnaire, Mini-Mental state examination (MMSE), Clinical dementia Rating (CDR), Activity of Daily Life (ADL), Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and The Quality of Life-Alzheimer's Disease (QOL-AD), in order to get information of clients about common data, cognitive function, dementia state, ability of daily living, concomitant mental symptom and disorder behavior, state of depression and QOL. To access common data information and depression of caregivers, Caregiver Questionnaire (CQ) and Center for Epidemiological Survey-Depression Scale (CES-D) were applied to caregivers. Descriptive analysis, one-sample t-test, paired t-test, two sample t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), SNK-q, Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) .Results: (1) The mean score of PQOL of inpatients with senile dementia was 37.03±8.96; The mean score of CQOL of inpatients with senile dementia was 35.09±6.19. (2) Gender (P=0.030) and economical status (P=0.007) can impact PQOL, the relation between MMSE(P=0.021), GDS(P=0.000), CES-D(P=0.033)and PQOL had statistical significance. Multiple linear regression showed PQOL can be explained 30.8%(R~2=0.308)by depression of client themselves and their caregivers . (3) Economical status (P=0.004), dementia state (P=0.000), daily direct care time (P=0.029) can impact CQOL, the relation between MMSE(P=0.000) ,ADL (P=0.000) , GDS (P=0.000) , NPI (P=0.009) and CQOL had statistical significance. Multiple linear regression showed CQOL can be explained 58.2% (R~2=0.582 ) by degree of dementia, direct care time per day, daily living ability and the depression of patient.Conclusions: (1) The scores of PQOL and CQOL of inpatients with senile dementia in Changsha in 2006 were higher than that of some former researches. (2) There was a significant difference between PQOL and CQOL, and PQOL was higher than CQOL. There may be some confounding factors to study further, so we should pay attention to use caregiver's evaluation. (3) There were different affecting factors between PQOL and CQOL. For PQOL, the key factors were depression of patients themselves and their caregivers. Gender, economical status, cognitive function also influenced PQOL. AS to CQOL, the major factors were the degree of dementia, direct care time per day, daily living ability and the depression of clients, besides, economical status, cognitive function, concomitant mental symptom and disorder behavior also impacted CQOL.(4) We should see from patient's point of view and pay more attention to their feeling in pointed caring to improve QOL of dementia patients.