在宅介護者の介護負担感軽減に関する調査研究(1)—在宅介護者の介護状況の違いによる特性の検討

Reducing the burden of home caregivers (1) : Differences in the caregiving situation

要旨：本研究の目的は，介護負担感軽減に影響を及ぼす諸要因について検討することである．茨城県下の全ての介護者を対象とし二段階無作為調査を実施して1,144名から回答を得た．記載された介護者の属性は男性239名，女性892名，被介護者の属性は男性464名，女性651名であった．調査の結果，①低年齢の女性で施設利用が多く高齢の男性ほど家中心の介護が多い，②家事介助が介護時間を軽減する可能性がある，③認知症があると介護支援するサービスが多い，④低年齢の女性介護者は身近な人に相談し，年齢が高いか長い介護時間・介護日の介護者は専門職に相談が多い，⑤被介護者の年齢が高く認知症を有しているほど他者へ相談が多いことが示された．

　The purpose of this study was to determine the factors which reduce the care burden for home caregivers. Using a two step process of randomization, all caregivers in Ibaraki prefecture were sent questionnaires regarding the content of their home help services, problem solving methods and the characteristics of caregivers and their clients.

　1,144 subjects submitted valid answers. The caregivers consisted of 239 males, 892 females, and 13 blanks while their clients were comprised of 464 males, 651 females and 29 blanks.

　The results indicate the following 5 characteristics: 1) institutions tend to take care of more younger female clients, while older men tend to be taken care of at home, 2) home help service may reduce the time of care giving, 3) clients suffering from dementia require more home help service, 4) the caregivers of younger women consult acquaintances, while the caregivers of older clients and those requiring longer hours of care consult with professionals and 5) caregivers of older, demented and more severe clients consult more with others.