title: Respite care as a community care service: factors associated with the effects on family carers of adults with intellectual disability in Taiwan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study examines the effects and associated factors of respite care, which was legislated as a community service for adults with an intellectual disability (ID) in Taiwan in 1997.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 116 family carers who live with an adult with ID and have utilised the respite care program were surveyed using standardised measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results suggest that the most notable effects of respite care include improvement in the carers' social support and life satisfaction, and relief of psychological stress and overall burden of care. The factors associated with these effects include the way the participants have used the respite care and the users' individual characteristics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  How families used the respite care, whether the carers practised a religion, and where the families resided, were the most significant factors in determining the effectiveness of the respite. Suggestions are made for making access to information about the program more widely available, and for extending the availability and duration of the service.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Welfare Policy, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan. choucyc@ym.edu.tw
authors.forename: Yueh-Ching
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Ping-Yi
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Tzou
authors.forename: Cheng-Yun
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.forename: Teppo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kröger
authors.forename: Wan-Ping
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D019058:Community Networks / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012144:Respite Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012944:Social Support; D013624:Taiwan