Stroke caregiver information needs: comparison of Mainland and Puerto Rican caregivers

Research indicates that informal caregivers of stroke survivors often do not have the information necessary to adequately manage the recovery process at home. This article presents findings on the information sources and needs of stroke caregivers both in Puerto Rico and the Mainland United States. Data were collected from 120 caregivers (42 Puerto Rican, 78 Mainland) of veterans who had experienced a stroke. Of all caregivers, 22% to 50% reported the need for information related to stroke recovery. This need was greater for Puerto Rican caregivers compared with Mainland caregivers. Caregivers receive most of their information from their doctors, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and the Internet. This study highlights the need for information dissemination to Puerto Rican and Mainland caregivers within the VHA system. This dissemination is an important and ongoing goal of the Stroke Quality Enhancement Research Initiative and the VHA/ Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guidelines.