Objective To explore the burden situation among caregivers of stroke survivors, and analyze the association between burden and the quality of life among caregivers. Method In this cross-sectional study, a total of 230 stroke survivor-caregivers were investigated with basic demographic information, Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument-Short Form (WHOQOL-BREF) from May 2015 to November 2015. Results The mean age of the caregivers of stroke survivors was (66.7±11.7) years, and the caregiver burden was in the mild level with the mean ZBI score of 21.11±6.96. The multiple linear regression analysis showed that the influencing factors of caregiver burden were the complications, self-care ability, residence of stroke survivors, and the self-rating health status of caregivers (P<0.05). And the total ZBI score was negatively correlated with the total WHOQOL-BREF scores (P<0.01), physiological dimensional scores (P<0.01), social dimensional scores (P<0.01), and environmental dimensional scores of caregivers (P<0.01). Conclusions The caregivers of stroke survivors suffer from general caregiver burden, and the heavier caregiver burden is, the poorer the quality of life of the caregivers is. According to the different conditions between urban and rural areas of China, it is reasonable to formulate a targeted program with the consideration of requirements referring to stroke survivors and their caregivers. It should involve physiological, psychological, social, environmental factors and so on to improve the caregivers’ quality of life finally.
ObjectiveTo understand the status and risk factors of care ability among main caregivers of stroke patients.MethodsA total of 395 stroke patients and their main caregivers were enrolled in the Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University from August 2017 to February 2018. General data of the patients and their main caregivers were collected. The caring ability of the main caregivers was assessed by the family care test inventory. Connor- Davision Resilience Scale and Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale-Family Member Form were used to assess the psychological resilience and uncertainty illness of caregivers. Single factor analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were all used to explore the risk factors.ResultsThe care ability of the main caregivers of stroke patients was basically at a high level. Multivariate analysis showed that patients’ age [non-standardized partial regression coefficient (b)=−0.051, 95% confidence interval (CI) (−0.079, −0.024), P<0.001], family income [b=−0.455, 95%CI (−0.770, −0.141), P=0.005], and activities of daily living ability at admission [b=−0.017, 95%CI (−0.029, −0.006), P=0.003], and caregivers’ sleeping status [b=0.636, 95%CI (0.340, 0.932), P<0.001], scores of resilience [b=−0.143, 95%CI (−0.202, −0.083), P<0.001] and illness uncertainty [b=−0.127, 95%CI (−0.153, −0.100), P<0.001] were influencing factors of caregivers’ care ability.ConclusionsThe main caregivers of stroke patients have good care ability. The older the patients are, the higher the family income is, and the better the ability of activities of daily living at admission is, the better the caregivers’ care ability they have. The better the caregivers’ sleep is, and the stronger the caregivers’ psychological resilience and uncertainty of disease are, the better the caring ability they have. It is suggested that we should pay more attention to the physical and mental status of caregivers, raise their awareness of stroke, teach them relevant knowledge and care skills, so as to lighten the physical and mental burden of caregivers, improve the prognosis of patients and finally improve the quality of life of patients and their caregivers.