Burden of caregivers of people with stroke: evolution and predictors

Caregiver burden differs according to the amount of care, but no study has really focused on that point. This study compares the evolution of burden of two groups of caregivers of people with a recent stroke who returned home after discharge from two different types of health care facilities.

Burden was assessed at 3 weeks and 3 and 6 months after discharge. The two groups of people with stroke and their caregivers were recruited from acute care (n = 69) and rehabilitation facilities (n = 89). Caregivers completed a questionnaire with three dimensions. In addition to sociodemographic characteristics, we assessed variables pertaining to the clinical, physical and cognitive functioning of the people with stroke.

Differences in burden were noted. The best predictors of burden were the caregivers' characteristics, i.e. gender (female), occupation (retired), schooling (low), age (older) and hours of care given, and the stroke survivors' characteristics, i.e. depressive symptoms, poor motor function (leg), verbal comprehension deficits, difficulty walking and neurological deficits.

These results reinforce the view that services (information, training and support) should be tailored to the needs of caregivers, depending on whether or not the recipient of care has received rehabilitation services.