Effects of the pandemic on caregivers of individuals with neuropsychomotor disorders

Abstract Introduction Since social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic can influence a patient’s and informal caregiver’s health, the present study was carried out to understand and improve the latter’s quality of life. Objective To analyze the physical, mental and quality of life effects on caregivers of patients with neurological sequelae and developmental delay during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Thirty informal caregivers divided into two groups (G1: Psychomotor disorders and syndromes; G2: Neurological sequelae) were evaluated using questionnaires on general data, burden and quality of life. Chi-square tests with Bonferroni post-hoc correction were performed to compare the response rate between the dependent variables and the level of burden. The student’s t-test was applied to determine the correlation between groups and quality of life, obtaining significant findings (p ≤ 0.05). Results No or minimal burden was found in 33.3% of the caregivers, and mild to moderate in 66.7% of each group, with no significant effect between them. In terms of quality of life, a decline was found in all domains, with a significant intergroup difference in social aspects and G1 exhibiting the highest declines (G1: 70.00 ± 23.99%; G2: 86.66 ± 20.84%). Conclusion There was a mild-to-moderate impact on physical burden, with a change in the quality of life of caregivers evaluated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Caregivers of children with psychomotor disorders and syndromes were the most affected in the social aspect domain.

摘要 引言：新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）大流行期间的社交隔离会影响患者及非正式照护者（informal caregiver）的健康，本研究旨在了解并改善后者的生活质量。
研究目的：分析新型冠状病毒肺炎大流行期间，神经系统后遗症（neurological sequelae）与发育迟缓（developmental delay）患者的照护者所承受的生理、心理影响及生活质量变化。
研究方法：将30名非正式照护者分为两组（G1：精神运动障碍及综合征组；G2：神经系统后遗症组），采用一般资料、照护负担与生活质量相关问卷进行评估。采用经邦费罗尼事后校正（Bonferroni post-hoc correction）的卡方检验（Chi-square tests），比较因变量应答率与照护负担水平的差异；采用学生t检验（Student's t-test）分析组间差异与生活质量的相关性，检验水准设为P≤0.05，结果具有统计学显著性。
研究结果：33.3%的照护者未出现照护负担或仅存在极轻微负担，66.7%的照护者存在轻至中度照护负担，两组间未观察到显著差异。生活质量方面，所有维度均出现下降，其中社交领域组间差异具有统计学意义，G1组下降幅度最为显著（G1：70.00±23.99%；G2：86.66±20.84%）。
研究结论：新型冠状病毒肺炎大流行期间，受访非正式照护者存在轻至中度的生理负担，其生活质量亦发生改变；伴精神运动障碍及综合征的儿童照护者在社交领域受影响最为显著。