| The family caregivers of senile dementias experience both negative and positive aspects in caregiving situations. But few literatures about the positive experience were found, little was known about the Chinese caregivers' truth experience including burden and positive aspects. The general aim of this study was exploring the burden and positive experience of dementia caregivers in China.Objects: (1) To describe the Chinese caregivers' burden and positive experience; (2) To explore the caregivers' personal factors affecting their burden and positive experience.Method: This study used triangulation design, 108 senile dementia caregivers in Beijing were studied by Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) and Positive Aspects of Caregiving (PAC), 10 of them were participated in non-structured interview regarding their experience of caregiving.Results: (1) The mean of CBI in Chinese caregivers was 50.44±17.53 which was moderate, two heaviest dimentions were time burden and development burden. The mean of PAC in Chinese caregivers was 29.45±6.48, which was moderate to great, the heaviest dimension of it was self affirmation. (2) Caregivers' gender, caring time, perceived health and age were the influencing factors of burden; caregivers' gender and marriage were the influencing factors of positive experience. (3)Five themes were found in the qualitative data, "Enduring stress and frustration", "Suffering through the losses", " Moving with continuous change", "Immersed in caregiving" and "Finding meaning and joy".Conclusion: (1) The burden and positive experience coexisted in Chinese caregivers. The heaviest two dimentions were time and development burden. The self affirmation was the main dimension of positive experience. (2)Less influencing factors of positive experience were found in this study, further study is suggested. (3)The qualitative results proved the quantitative results. They also revealed the development of the caregiving experience and the influence of Chinese culture. |
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