关键词: 肝硬化患者, 家属, 疾病不确定感, 焦虑, 抑郁, 社会支持

Abstract:

Objective The study aimed to investigate current status of illness uncertainty of inpatients with cirrhosis and their family caregivers and to explore related psychosocial factors. Methods Participants were selected by convenient sampling. Cirrhotic inpatients and their family caregivers were included by 1:1 match. Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scales for Adults and Family Members were used respectively for patients and their family caregivers to evaluate illness uncertainty. Hierarchical linear regression was adopted to explore related influencing factors. Results The average score of illness uncertainty in cirrhotic inpatients and family caregivers were（84.82±12.92） and（92.49±12.66）respectively. The most important factor affecting illness uncertainty of patients and family caregivers was the unpredictable feature of the process and prognosis of illness. Hierarchical linear regression showed that the illness uncertainty of cirrhotic inpatients was affected by patients’ social support（β=-0.269,P=0.045） and caregivers’ illness uncertainty（β=0.380,P<0.001）. The illness uncertainty of family caregivers was affected by self-perceived friend support （β=-0.739,P=0.036）,patients’ family support （β=-0.700,P=0.031） and the patients’ illness uncertainty （β=0.333,P<0.001）. Conclusion Illness uncertainty was common among cirrhotic inpatients and their family caregivers. The illness uncertainty of cirrhotic inpatients and family caregivers can have an interactive effect on each other. More attention to illness uncertainty should be paid to both cirrhotic patients and their family caregivers in order to facilitate early comprehensive intervention.

Key words: Inpatients with Cirrhosis, Family Caregivers, Illness Uncertainty, Depression, Anxiety, Social Support