An Eye-Tracking Assistive Device Improves the Quality of Life for ALS Patients and Reduces the Caregivers' Burden

• Published in: Journal of motor behavior Vol. 46; no. 4; pp. 233 - 238
• Main Authors: Hwang, Chi-Shin, Weng, Ho-Hsiu, Wang, Li-Fen, Tsai, Chon-Haw, Chang, Hao-Teng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Routledge 04.07.2014; Taylor & Francis Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - psychology; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - rehabilitation; Brain-Computer Interfaces - standards; Caregivers; Caregivers - psychology; Communication; Consciousness; Cost of Illness; Eye movements; Eye Movements - physiology; eye-tracking assistive device; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Monitoring systems; Patients; Quality of life; Quality of Life - psychology; Self-Help Devices; quality of life; eye-tracking assistive device; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• ISSN: 0022-2895; 1940-1027; 1940-1027
• DOI: 10.1080/00222895.2014.891970

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease. In some cases, patients with ALS retain a normal level of consciousness but disease progression eventually results in generalized paralysis, which first impedes and then prevents oral communication. This communication obstacle can generate a great deal of stress for the patient, family, and caregiver. Here the authors ask whether the use of an eye-tracking assistive device can improve quality of life for ALS patients and relieves burden of their primary caregivers. Subjects were divided into two groups depending on whether they used (n = 10) or did not use (n = 10) an eye-tracking assistive device. The authors assessed patients' quality of life and severity of depression using the ALS Specific Quality of Life Instrument-Revised and the Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire, respectively. The Caregiver Burden Scale was used to assess the burden on caregivers. Our study shows that the eye-tracking assistive device significantly improved patients' quality of life, as compared with patients in the nonuser group (p <.01). The assistive device also reduced the burden on caregivers (p <.05). This is likely a result of the improvement of patient's autonomy and more effective communication between patient and caregiver.