Factors affecting the burden on caregivers of stroke survivors in Turkey

Abstract

Purpose: Caring for stroke patients leads to caregiver strain. Caregiver burden following stroke is increasingly recognised as a significant health care concern.  This study was conducted to determine factors affecting the burden on caregivers of stroke survivors.

Design: This was a descriptive study.

Methods: Eighty caregivers of stroke patients hospitalized in the intensive and intermediate intensive care clinics of the Neurology Department of the Gazi University Health Research and Application Centre were included in the study. The Caregiver Introductory Form, the Barthel Index, the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Caregiver Burden Scale were used to collect the data.

Findings: In our study, a significant negative relationship (r=-0.854, p=0.000) was determined between the mean Barthel Index scores (24.55±7.69) and the mean Caregiver Burden Scale scores (57.52±14.35) and a significant positive relationship was determined between the mean Caregiver Burden Scale and the mean Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index daytime dysfunction sub-component scores (1.30±1,42; r=0.223; p=0.046). 

Conclusions: Our study has demonstrated that caregiver burden increased as the level of independence of stroke patients decreased and the daytime dysfunction sleep disorder became more prevalent as the caregivers’ burden increased.

Clinical Relevance: The burden of care could become as excessive as to impact. Negatively on the caregivers' sleep quality. To reduce the negative impact of burden of care influential factors should determine.