A Study on Needs of the Families of Head Injury Patients

Cho, Gyoo Yeong; Park, Hyoung Sook

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify the needs which are perceived by one of the familiy members who have head injury parients by traffic accidents in the intensive care units. Subjects were 70 families members of head injury patients admitted to 2 general hospitals NICU located Pusan city, 1 general hospital NICU located Ulsan city from December 1. 1998 to February 28. 1999. For this study, 70 family members were interviewed with aid of a Likert scale which was developed by researcher for this study. For development of the survey instrument, literature review and open questionnaire technique with family members and the nurses working in NICU. The 50needs-items were classified into 7 groups according to the homogeneity of the items with the support of literature review. For the content validity, the instrument was reviewed by 1 nursing professor and the internal reliability of this instrument was Cronbach alpha=0.94 which is highly accepted. Data was analyzed by a SPSS computer program. Data analysis included frequency, percentage, mean, standard variance and t-test or ANOVA. The results were as followings; 1. The general characteristics of head injury patients shows that the male was 74.3%, the female was 25.7% and age distribution shows that the fifty-fifty nine years was 30%, the highest. Of religion the buddhism was the most. The diagnosis distribution shows that epidural hematoma was 32.9% and subdural hematoma was 24.3%. The mentalility distribution shows that semicoma was 31.4% and stupor was 31.4%. Hemiplegia was 42.9%. 2. The general charaterisrics of the family needs of head injury patients shows that thirty-thirty nine years was 31.4%, the highest. sex distribution shows that the male was 20%, the female was 80%. Of religion the buddism was the most. 3. The family needs of head injury patients was 3.03+/-0.42, needs for the information of a patient's condition was 3.65+/-0.48, the highest. And needs for the information of care and treatment was 3.48+/-0.48, needs to be supplied with comfortable facilities for family was 3.04+/-0.66, needs to be participate in a patient's care was 2.90+/-0.55, needs to be informed about the available resources was 2.83+/-0.59, needs to be supported emotionally for family was 2.79+/-0.55, needs for religious assistance was 2.51+/-0.85. 4. Examining the family needs of head injury patients according to patient's characteristics, mentality, plegia degree and operation were shown be variables to make an effect on the needs for the head injury patients family. At all, according to severity of head injury, the family needs of head injury patients was high. 5. Examining the family needs of head injury patients according to their general characteristics, we could know that religion, job, income were shown to be variables to make an effect on the family needs. Through the examination it can be seen that the characteristics of head injury patients and the family needs of head injury patients. In conclusion, the family needs of head injury patients was almost same the family needs of ICU patients. Therefore we must involve the family's care of head injury patients and we must provide exact and repeated explanation, education and support the family of head injury patients. As this study was resulted in selecting the families admitted to NICU of some general hospital, we couldn't stretch the result in our favor. Therefore, continuous studies are suggested.