title: Religiousness is positively associated with quality of life of ALS caregivers.
abstract: It has been repeatedly shown that religiousness and spirituality have positive effects on quality of life (QoL) and outcome in ALS patients. here are, however, very few data on the impact of religiousness/spirituality on ALS caregivers. We determined the impact of religiousness on caregivers and its correlation with quality of life, depression and anxiety. A total of 75 consecutive ALS patients and their informal caregivers were interviewed using tests evaluating religiousness, depression, anxiety, quality of life and satisfaction with life. Results showed that there was a significant correlation between patients and caregivers' public and total religiousness. Caregivers' private religiousness was related to their age and education level, while their public religiousness was related only to their education level. Caregivers' quality of life was related to their private religiousness and satisfaction with life with their total religiousness. We conclude that religiousness is positively associated with ALS caregivers' quality of life and satisfaction with life, in a measure similar to that observed in ALS patients. Health care professionals caring for ALS patients should consider that the needs of the caregivers include religious/spiritual concerns.
authors.affiliation: ALS Centre, Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moglia
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ilardi
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cammarosano
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Canosa
authors.forename: Enza
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mastro
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montuschi
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chiò
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012067:Religion; D012944:Social Support; D029181:Spirituality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires