Abstract
The purpose of this descriptive correlation and cross-sectional study were to explore the relationship between liver cirrhosis patients and their demographic materials, disease characteristic, social support, hope and quality of the life. Also discussed the relation to the social support of liver cirrhosis patients with their quality of life and hope. The purposive sampling method was used to recruit 128 liver cirrhosis patients from a medical center and a regional hospital in mid-Taiwan. Measurement instruments included: Demographic materials, disease characteristic, the scale of society support, Herth Hope Index and the World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF Taiwan Version. The statistics used for data analysis included descriptive statistics, Pearson''s coefficient correlation, and stepwise regression.
The result of study reveal that hope sensation is much better in liver cirrhosis patients who had lower grades of Child-Pugh, higher informational social support and income controlled by them self. The degree of variation in hope is 21%. The study also found that the quality of life is much better in patients who had higher appreciative support, lower grades of Child-Pugh and enough income. The degree of variation in life quality is 32%. The result of this study can offer a nursing staff to understand the importance of degree of the disease, the informational social support and the appreciating support to the liver cirrhosis patients. Also help them to promote the liver cirrhosis patient''s hope and quality of life.
