| Summary: | 碩士 === 中國醫藥大學 === 護理學系碩士班 === 106 === Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the correlation between Body Constitution in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Quality of Life of Nurses
Methods: A cross-sectional survey research was adopted. Participants were nurses from the seven military hospitals, aged 20-45 years-old and with over 6 months of clinical experience. Questionnaire content included demographic characteristics, life styles, working styles, body constitution questionnaire (BCQ) in Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) and SF-36 quality of life questionnaire. SPSS 20.0 was adopted for data analysis to carry out descriptive and deductive statistics.
Results: A total of 293 participants completed the study. The distribution of nurses’ body constitutions in TCM were as follows: 90(30.7％) with balanced body constitutions, 166(56.7%) with Yin-Xu, 169(57.7%) with Yang-Xu, and 168(57.3%) with Stasis. Odds ratios and confidence intervals for correlation between nurses with premenstrual syndrome and their body constitutions are as follows: Yin-Xu (OR = 1.312, 95% CI = 1.286-7.726), Yang-Xu (OR = 4.493, 95% CI = 1.692-11.931), and Stasis (OR =5.397, 95% CI = 1.944-14.982), all of which show significantiy positively correlated. Odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI) for correlation between nurses with segmented sleep pattern and their body constitutions are as follows: OR = 1.954, 95% CI = 1.155-3.304 for those with Yin-Xu body constitution, OR = 2.025, 95% CI = 1.192-3.442 for those with Yang-Xu body constitution, and OR = 1.784, 95% CI = 1.062-2.996 for those with Stasis body constitution, all of which show significant correlation. OR and CI for correlation between nurses’ working-years and their body constitutions are as follows: OR = 1.095, 95% CI = 1.049-1.142 for those with Yin-Xu body constitution, OR = 1.081, 95% CI = 1.036-1.127 for those with Yang-Xu body constitution, and OR = 1.055, 95% CI = 1.013-1.098 for those with Stasis body constitution, all of which show significant correlation.OR and CI for correlation between nurses who felt psychological pressure and their body constitutions are as follows: OR = 1.380, 95% CI = 1.188-1.604 for those with Yin-Xu body constitution, OR = 1.430, 95% CI = 1.227-1.667 for those with Yang-Xu body constitution, and OR = 1.353, 95% CI = 1.167-1.568 for those with Stasis body constitution, all of which show significant correlation. Nurses with unbalanced body constitutions, regardless of whether they were Yin-Xu, Yang-Xu, or Stasis, scored significantly lower in factors for quality of life such as physical function, role limitation due to physical problems (role physical), general health, social function, role limitation due to emotional problems (role emotional), psychological health, and vitality. Multiple regression analysis of the scores of the nurses’ body constitutions in TCM and their quality of life found that physiological function, general health, and social function are negative correlation factors for Yin-Xu. Similarly, role physical, , general health, mental health, and vitality are negative correlation factors of Yang-Xu, and role physical, social function, role emotional, mental health, and vitality are negative correlation factors for Stasis.
Therefore, this study found that those with longer working years, segmented sleep patterns, labor experiences, irregular menstruation cycles, premenstrual syndromes, and higher perception of stress are significantly associated with r unbalanced body constitutions. Nurses with these characteristics should pay more attention tokeep the balance between body and mind.. However, under the condition that the working style of nurses cannot be changed, it is suggested that these individuals should maintain good daily life styles, decrease amount of caffeine intake and late-night snacks, and maintain a light diet with regular exercises. A good sleep pattern is even more important, and it is suggested to get into the habit of uninterrupted sleep and refrain from a segmented sleep pattern to avoid the development and exacerbation of unbalanced body constitutions.
Conclusion: 69% of the nurses in this study had unbalanced body constitutions. The occurrence of unbalanced body constitutions is due to negative correlation factors of quality of life, and the development of unbalanced body constitutions also lowers quality of life, indicating decrease in the nurses’ health quality and life-satisfactory. It is suggested for the nurses to utilize theBCQ in TCM to evaluate their own body constitutions in TCM, so that early detecting and conditioning and caring of unbalanced body constitutions can be conducted to achieve the goal of "preventive treatment of disease" by TCM .
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