Social connection and sociodemographic predictors of stroke caregivers' burden during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown

Stroke care demands significant effort and is heavily reliant on physical rehabilitation facilities to improve the patients' functional status. Limited access to these facilities during COVID-19 lockdown impacts patients' recovery and family caregivers' burden. The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on caregivers' duties and its potential negative effects on family caregivers' burden remained scarce. This study examined the social connections' predictors and stroke caregivers' burden during COVID-19 lockdown.

This study employed a cross-sectional predictive study design and 94 unpaid informal family caregivers of stroke survivors completed an online survey. The caregivers' burden was measured using the Caregiver Burden Inventory. Social connection such as social isolation, loneliness and perceived social support was measured using the Lubben Social Network Scale, Loneliness Scale and Duke Social Support Index, respectively. Sociodemographic data were also collected and analysed.

Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that social support significantly predicted the stroke caregivers' burden. Social support had the major predictive effect, explaining 12% of the variance in caregivers' burden. Meanwhile, loneliness significantly predicted developmental burden and physical burden respectively. Social isolation did not significantly predict caregivers' burden. Caregivers with tertiary education reported significantly higher burden than caregivers with secondary education. Education was also a significant predictor of developmental burden, physical burden, and emotional burden.

These findings highlight that family caregivers' burden during COVID-19 lockdown is linked to their social support, loneliness, and education levels. Interventions that aim to enhance social support for caregivers could help to mitigate this issue and improve their overall wellbeing.