Assessment of stress among caregivers of the stroke survivors: community based study

Abstract

Background: Stroke is the third most common cause of death. It disables individuals and places considerable burden not only on the individual and his family but also on the community as a whole. Caring for stroke patients often places considerable strain on caregivers, given that they have to take up multiple responsibilities. The study objective was to assess caregiver stress and to identify the factors such as emotional, financial and socio demographic factors. Methods: The study adopted a cross sectional design. A total of 150 participants were chosen on the basis of being directly involved in patient care and consenting to participate in the study 1. Caregivers of all incident cases of stroke who survived beyond 28 days were included. The severity of strain was rated using the Caregiver Strain Index (CSI). Results: The mean (SD) age of caregivers was 45.19 (4) years. Among the caregivers 130 (87%) of them were females and 20(13%) were males. The analysis of CSI showed that the mean (SD) score was 11.3 (0.93).All the CGs responded that financial difficulties, physical strain, family and emotional adjustments and sleep disturbance were found to have contributed to their stress. Conclusions: In this study, it is found that there is an increase in strain on the caregivers of stroke survivors which impacted the personal life as well as the quality of care offered by them. Current literature focussing on caregiver stress has been far and few between . The objective of the present study was to assess stress and the factors responsible for caregivers strain.

Predictors of caregiver burden after stroke in Nigeria: Effect on psychosocial well-being

“…The mean age of CGs in this study was 42.8 (±12.6) years, which is in keeping with other studies reviewed. [4611] Majority of CGs were female, married spouses of SSs also in agreement with other studies reviewed. [4671823] These findings are not unusual because, in most African communities, family CG roles are mostly ascribed to female spouses.…”

“…[3] Resources for stroke rehabilitation are deficient in the developing countries, whereas caregiving still remains the backbone of services provided for SSs by spouses, children, or other relatives. [456] The wide range of disabilities faced by SSs predisposes them to variable degrees of dependence on CGs to live a normal life. [7]…”

Effect of Education and Support on Stress and Wellbeing of Caregivers of Persons with a Stroke

“…Informal caregivers are typically defined as those persons who care for family members in their or their family member's home without pay [1]. Often, they are unprepared and unequipped to deal with the consequences of stroke since it can be sudden and result in significant functional deficits [2]. This can lead to high levels of stress and feelings of inadequacy and place a burden on the well-being and health of the caregiver and their care recipient [3].…”

Interventions for Psychological Health of Stroke Caregivers: A Systematic Review

“…Caregivers may reduce their time at work or may be forced to completely leave their job, with evident consequences regarding social involvement and financial condition (Bauer and Sousa-Poza, 2015). Furthermore, patients' medical and physical treatments require expensive therapies and drugs that exacerbate economic difficulties (Rajan et al, 2016). Concerning the social area, the caregiver's role in the family may be modified as well as the relationship with the stroke survivor, particularly for the spouse (Revenson et al, 2016; López-Espuela et al, 2018).…”