認知症を有する人を介護する家族介護者のパートナーシップを築く力の向上を目指した教育プログラムの効果の検討

Effects of an Educational Program Aimed to Improve Partnership-building Ability of Family Caregivers Caring for Persons with Dementia

要旨

目的：認知症を有する人（以下認知症者とする）を介護する家族介護者を対象にして，家族介護者のパートナーシップを築く力の向上を目指した教育プログラムを全4回で実施し，その効果を検討する．

方法：研究デザインは非ランダム化比較対照試験である．調査を完遂できた介入群22名，比較群21名を対象とした．介入群には，家族介護者のパートナーシップ向上を目指した教育プログラムを受講してもらい，比較群には教育プログラムの重要部分を抜粋した小冊子を配布した．効果を測定する指標として，家族介護者のパートナーシップを築く力，介護負担感と介護肯定感，ソーシャルサポートを，介入前，介入後，介入終了から2ヵ月後に測定した．

結果：介入群の認知症者を対象としたパートナーシップを築く力と介護に対する肯定感は比較群よりも有意に向上した．しかし，専門職者や他の家族員や近隣者とのパートナーシップを築く力と，ソーシャルサポートや介護負担感に介入群と比較群との有意差はみられなかった．

結論：教育プログラムは，家族介護者の認知症者に対するパートナーシップを築く力を向上させ，介護に対する肯定感を高める効果があることが示唆された．

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of an educational program (a total of four sessions) aimed to improve partnership-building ability, focusing on family caregivers of persons with dementia.

Method: A non-randomized controlled trial was conducted in 43 caregivers who completed the survey, and the subjects were assigned to an intervention group (n = 22) and a comparison group (n = 21). The intervention group was asked to attend the educational program, whereas the comparison group was provided with a booklet of key elements excerpted from the educational program. As indicators of effectiveness, ability of caregivers to build partnerships, a sense of burden and positive feeling toward caregiving, and use of social support were measured before, immediately after, and 2 months after the intervention.

Results: The ability to build partnerships with persons with dementia and positive feelings toward caregiving were significantly improved in the intervention group compared with the comparison group. However, there was no significant difference between both groups in the ability to build partnerships with health professionals, other family members or neighbors, use of social support, and sense of burden toward caregiving.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated the effectiveness of the educational program in improving the ability of family caregivers to build partnerships with persons with dementia and in enhancing positive feeling toward caregiving.