Loneliness among Caregivers of Children with Life Limiting Conditions in Kelantan: Its Correlation with Life Satisfaction
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Abstract
Introduction: Loneliness among caregivers is common. This study examined loneliness and life satisfaction among caregivers of children with LLI and its associated factors. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study utilized the validated Malay questionnaires UCLA Loneliness Scale and The Satisfaction with Life Scale to measure loneliness and life satisfaction level among caregivers of children with LLI in Kelantan. The data were collected from April to September of 2023. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze socio demographic patterns, Pearson’s correlation was used for the relationship between loneliness and life satisfaction, while associations were investigated using linear regression analysis. Results: Out of the 335 informal caregivers, 271 were recruited from the Paediatric Clinic and 64 from home visits. Majority of respondents were Malay (94.9%), married (89.6%), unemployed (61.5%) with secondary education (51.9%). Their average household income was RM 2,614.27 (SD = RM 2,592.98). The mean level of loneliness among caregivers was 17.0 (SD = 5.4), with most reported moderate to high level (34.0%) of loneliness. The mean level of life satisfaction was 23.7 (SD = 6.7), with less than 10% had a low life satisfaction level. No significant correlation between loneliness and life satisfaction (p-value = 0.507). However, employment status and family relationships were found to have a significant association with loneliness. Conclusion: There was no correlation between loneliness and life satisfaction among caregivers of children with LLI in Kelantan. Factors such as jobs and kinships are an important association.
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