Researches in evidence-based medicine have provided important evidence for family planning doctors to guide their clinical practice. With examples of clinical researches, the practical methods of evidence-based medicine in family planning service are discussed in this paper.
Objective To investigate the family burden of depression inpatients, analyze the influencing factors and explore the approach to reduce the family burden. Methods On-the-spot investigation was conducted for the family members of 200 depression inpatients in Mental Health Center of West China Hospital of Sichuan University from January to December, 2008. Following questionnaires used for investigation were all self-scale and filled out by the family members: “Basic Information Scale of Patients and Family Members”, “Family Burden Scale of Patients with Depression” revised from Pai’s scale of “Burden on the Family of Disease” (scoring 0-48 points and covering 24 items under 6 dimensions, namely, financial burden, disruption of routine family activities, disruption of family leisure, disruption of family interactions, effect on physical health of family members, and effect on mental health of family members; rating each item on a 3-class scale, namely, zero for no burden, one for moderate burden, and two for severe burden) , and Xiao Shuiyuan’s “Social Support Scale” (10 items in total, a higher score indicates a better social support). SPSS 13.0 software was adopted to perform statistical analyses. Results The total score of family burden was 26.3±12.6, the positive answer rate of family burden was 100.0%, and the positive answer rate of the every dimension was above 80%. The score of family burden for parents and spouse was higher than that of children (Plt;0.05). The total score of social support was 40.22±9.06, and the correlation coefficient between family burden and family social support was –0.485 (Plt;0.001). Conclusion It is common for family members of depression patients to get family burden at different levels. The more social support family members get, the less the family burden is.
Objective To understand the situation of commonly-used drugs, medical device and their storages in rural households among model well-off township hospitals in eastern, central and western China, and to provide the basis for the guidance of reasonably using and scientifically storing drugs. Methods The methods of combining simple random sampling and cluster sampling were used to investigate and analyze the situation of commonly-used drugs, medical device and their storages in 162 households from three well-off township hospitals in Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Sichuan provinces, respectively. Results The storage rates of commonly-used drugs of rural households in well-off towns were cold medicine (72.2%), wound paste (51.9%), cooling oil (39.5%), essential balm (36.4%), antihypertensive (27.8%), iodine tincture (14.2%), anti-diabetic drugs (13.0%) and other drugs (17.3%). The storage rates of medical devices were thermometer (50.0%), cotton swab (47.5%), sphygmomanometer (9.3%), injector (1.2%) and other devices (22.2%). A total of 66% of respondent families stored drugs and medical devices in a fixed drawer. Only 3.1% families stored drugs and medical devices in the special portable medical kit. Conclusion Rural families have a higher rate of household drugs among model well-off township hospitals in eastern, central and western China, and most drugs are OTC drugs. The storage rates of medical devices are not high. Many rural family-owned medical devices are linked with special chronic diseases in the family. A lot of rural families place drugs and medical devices randomly. There are many security risks, and it may affect the rational utilization of drugs.
Objective To investigate the family-dependence status in patients with tumor, and analyze the related factors of family dependence. Methods The self-made family-dependence scale was distributed to 432 patients with tumor to asses their family dependence status. Results The mean score of family-dependence was 40±5.8. A total of 198 cases (45.8%) were family-dependent, including 52 mild cases, 98 moderate cases, and 48 severe cases. The logistic regression analyses showed that sex (OR=3.873, P=0.022), age (OR=2.378, P=0.035), and personality type (OR=1.079, P=0.028) were the related factors of family-dependence. Conclusion More attention should be paid to patients with tumor about their family-dependence. After being instructed, the family members should use proper emotional expression method to provide family support to the patients with tumor. The female patients, older patients, and patients with dependent personality should be encouraged to improve their self-care ability to avoid family-dependence as possible as they can.
Objective To compare quality of life for HIV infected people or AIDS patients and their family members of noninfected people in two counties (Zizhong and Zhaojue) with high AIDS morbidity and high HIV infective rates. Methods The quality of life for HIV infected people or AIDS patients and 162 of their family members and 97 people noninfected HIV/AIDS was measured by a questionnaire containing the generic quality of life inventory 74 (GQOLI-74) and the social support scale (SSS). Data were analyzed with SPSS. Results Total GQOLI-74 scores and each of the four dimensionality scores were significantly lower for HIV/AIDS people and their family members compared with noninfected people (total score for HIV/AIDS people 52.20 [9.41]; family members 60.46 [11.92]; noninfected people 66.36 [8.90] (Plt;0.01)). Scores for each of the disease status (physical function, psychological function, social function and material status) were all lower compared with noninfected people (all comparisons Plt;0.01). GQOLI-74 scores of HIV/AIDS people were significantly correlated with disease status and social support, but age, education level and substance abuse did not show significantly correlation. Conclusions The quality of life for HIV infected people or AIDS patients and their families is significantly lower than the general population, and this is particularly related to the severity of their disease and lack of social support.
Objective To research whether systemic family therapy is a useful intervention for behavioral problems. Methods Two hundred and seventy six children who were in the fourth grade of elementary school were assessed by family dynamics questionnaires and their parents were tested by Achenbach Child Behavioral Checklist. Fifty-seven children with behavioral problems were divided into two groups: 20 children and their parents agreed to receive systemic therapy for four weeks and 37 children and their parents who refused this therapy formed the control group.All children and their parents were reassessed after four months. Data were analyzed by SPSS 11.5. Results The characteristics of family dymanmic and children’s behavior improved significantly after systemic therapy. The "depressing and hostile family" at mosphere became "harmonious and open" (P=0.000) and this was also significantly better than the control group after therapy(P=0.000). "Self-differentiation of family members" was significantly improved after therapy (P=0.000) and also was significantly better than the control group after therapy (P=0.005). "Patient is helpless victim" changed to "Patient can do something" (P=0.000) and this was significantly better than the control group after therapy (P=0.003) . Total CBCL score decreased in the treatment group after therapy (P=0.003 for father, P=0.000 for mother). Compared with the control group. Total CBCL score also showed decreases (P=0.033 for father, P=0.014 for mother). Conclusions The techniques of systemic family therapy are practical and effective methods to intervene children’s behavioral problems.
ObjectiveTo explore family care and its influence on the life quality of schizophrenia patients. MethodsBetween September 2011 and March 2012, 101 schizophrenia patients were investigated with Questionnaire of Family Care and Quality of Life Inventory and were divided into two groups in order to compare their life quality. According to the scores of Questionnaire of Family Care, 56 subjects were in support group and 45 subjects were in control group. ResultsAmong the 101 patients, 55.45% had good family care and 44.55% had not. In the support group, there was no significant correlation between family care and life quality in the first month and the third month (r=0.023, P=0.894; r=-0.072, P=0.587), while there was a significant correlation between family care and life quality in the sixth month (r=-0.322, P=0.032). In the control group, there was no significant differences in the score of family care and life quality in the first, third and sixth month (r=0.021, P=0.893; r=0.114, P=0.482; r=1.863, P=0.226). ConclusionLong-term family care is significantly correlated with the life quality of schizophrenia patients. If schizophrenic patients get more poor family care, they will have lower life quality. It's important to create a good and comfortable environment for the patients.
ObjectiveTo explore the prevalence of anxiety symptoms and its related factors among the family caregivers of the disabled elderly. MethodsA cross-sectional survey based on convenience sampling was conducted among family caregivers between November and December, 2013 in Dongcheng district in Beijing. The Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) were used to evaluate caregivers' anxious symptoms and social support status respectively. The degree of functional impairment of the elderly was measured by Barthel index. ResultsA total of 243 family caregivers took part in the study including 88 males and 155 females. The average age of the family caregivers was (60±1.7) years old, ranging from 25 to 85. The prevalence rate of anxiety was 29.2% reported by family caregivers. The average score of SAS was 35.6±8.6. The risk factors of caregivers' anxiety included Barthel index score ≤20 (OR=1.51), SSRS score ≤33 (OR=4.56), no time to relax (OR=1.57) and poor health status caregivers feeling (OR=3.48). ConclusionA relative high level of anxiety exists in family caregivers for the disabled elderly. Caregiver anxiety is a complex process, influenced by diverse care receiver and caregiver characteristics.
ObjectiveTo explore the family function on patients with depression and its influential factors, in order to provide a basis for family support treatment for the patients. MethodsA total of 122 depressed patients from Mental Health Center of West China Hospital between February 2012 and June 2013, and one of their family members were chosen to be the study subjects. Another 122 non-clinical controls and one of their family members were recruited from a community near Sichuan University were regarded as the controls. All the subjects were asked to finish the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and the Family Assessment Device (FAD). Additionally, the patients received a diagnostic interview to provide the features of their depression. ResultsThe general average score of Q-LES-Q in families with depressed patients was significantly lower than that in the control families (t=-6.243, P<0.01). The general average score of each dimension in FAD for families with depressed patients was significantly higher than that for control families (t=3.644, 3.872, 2.694, 3.369, 5.369, 4.941, 5.241; P<0.01). According to FAD health division scoring, the unhealthy proportion in terms of communication, emotional reaction, emotional link, behavioral control and general function for families with depressed patients was significantly higher than that for control families (χ2=6.778, 23.698, 26.580, 39.875, 17.123, 10.712; P<0.05). The Q-LES-Q scores and the five FAD dimensional scores (except role and affective involvement) were negatively correlated (r=-0.388, -0.188, -0.200, -0.276, -0.370; P<0.05). The scores of perceived social support for families with depressed patients had significant positive correlations with the scores of all FAD dimensions except affective involvement (r=0.363, 0.345, 0.244, 0.418, 0.328, 0.457; P<0.05). The risk factors for unhealthy family function included: female (OR=1.141, P<0.05), poor education (OR=0.948, P<0.01), first-episode (OR=1.416, P<0.05), suicidal attempt (OR=1.014, P<0.05), incomplete suicide (OR=1.367, P<0.01) and depression episode number (OR=1.035, P<0.05). ConclusionDepression is associated with impaired family function in Chinese families. Female, poor education, first episode of depression, suicidal attempt, incomplete suicide and depression episode number are the influential factors for family function on patients with depression.
ObjectiveTo investigate the quality of life of family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to explore the related factors. MethodsTwenty family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease were surveyed with short form 36 health survey questionnaire between October 2013 and August 2014. ResultsThe subjects who were over 60 years old had lower scores in the dimensions of physical functioning, role limitations due to physical problem and role limitations due to emotional problem than those below 60 years old. Female subjects scored better than male subjects in the dimension of vitality. The sons and daughters had higher scores than the wives and husbands in the dimensions of physical functioning, role limitations due to physical problem and role limitations due to emotional problem. The subjects whose patients had medical insurance scored better than those whose patients with no insurance. The differences above were all statistically significant. The scores of caregivers with senior middle school edudation or above were higher than the caregivers with lower education level in the dimensions of mental health, vitality and general health perceptions. ConclusionThe quality of life of the family members of AD patients is obviously affected by many factors. It is very important to implement planned, targeted, reasonable and effective interventions to enhance the quality of life of these people.