The Change in Family Structure and Income for Community-dwelling Patients with Brain Disorders

Objective: To find out the changes of the family structure and familial total income of Korean patients with the brain disorders and associated factors. Method: A total of 1,903 patients with brain disorders in Korea were enrolled and drew up the questionnaires about their socioeconomic state and family supports, including preand post-disorder family structure, compositions of their family income, and employment of caregivers. Results: A 38.2% of subjects experienced the change in numbers of cohabiting family, decrement in 30.3% and increment in 7.9%. Prior to brain disorders, 48.6% of patients earned their living by themselves, but only 2.8% did after brain disorders. Separation and divorce increased, especially three times more in male patients than in females. A 16.6% of patients employed caregivers, and used them 6.2 days per week, 18 hours a day on average. Conclusion: This study reemphasized the worsening socioeconomic state of patients with brain disorders and their families. Increasing tendency of social isolation was also noted.