目的：探討低體重早產兒主要照顧者在提供居家照顧時實際所需的協助與支持為何，及影響其照顧需求的相關因素。方法：採橫斷式研究方式，以台南地區兩家醫學中心的出院6個月內之低體重早產兒之主要照顧者為研究對象，並以自編問卷以面訪方式進行資料收集。本研究符合收案條件之個案數為92人，實際受訪的照顧者為82人，問卷回收率89.13%。結果：主要照顧者之居家照顧需求以獲得專業的再保證、醫療資訊及照護能力等的平均得分最高（平均值為3.48分），而對於心靈支持的需求則較低（平均值為1.54分）。影響照顧者需求的相關因素，包括早產兒的出生週數、出院日數及出生體重、照顧者年齡、以及家人與社區的支持度等。結論：由於主要照顧者在照顧早產兒時，對獲得專業人員的再保證有較高的期望與需求，因此建議醫院能設置低體重早產兒的照護專線，讓照顧者能隨時諮詢相關問題，並加強醫院與社區間出院後的轉介服務，提高低體重早產兒的照護品質。 Objective: Our study was to explore the home care needs of caregivers for low birth weight preterm infants.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study design. The 92 caregivers of LBWP discharged from maternity wards over six months of two medical centers in Tainan was recruited. We have collected the data by individual interview with the researcher-designed structural questionnaire, and the response rate was 89.13%.Results: Caregivers have the high score needs to gain medical care by staff's professional confirmation, medical information and care skill (average score was 3.48), but the caregivers had fewer needs for the mental support (average score was 1.54). The caregivers' needs were influenced by gestational age, birth weight and discharge periods of LBWP, caregiver's age, family and community supports.Conclusions: Since the caregivers had more expectations and needs for the medical expert's assurance about preterm infant care skills and abilities, we suggest that the medical staffs should offer phone calls to provide counseling services for caregivers. The transition from the hospital to community care should also be strengthened to improve the quality of home care for LBWP.
