Family Caregiver Burden of Stroke Patient

Kim, Eun Kyung; Lee, Eun Jung; Sohn, Jeehyun; Lee, Byung Chul

Abstract

BACKGROUND: After the group education program for the families of stroke patients, we found there were improvement in family members' mental health state and coping skills. However, we also found that family caregiver's burden varied depending on patient and family factors. The purpose of this study, therefore, were to explore which factors affected caregiver's burden on family members of stroke patients and to make a background for suggesting an effective intervention strategies for them. METHOD: The subjects of this study were 187 family members of stroke patients who received the treatment from Hospital located in Seoul and Kyunggi area and they completed the written questionnaire.
RESULTS
While Family member's health state, share of care responsibility, patient's functional status and family and friends support were predictors of subjective care burden, patients age and left hemiparesis among patient's functional status were predictors of objective care burden.
CONCLUSIONS
Family members play a critical role in the long-term rehabilitation of a stroke patient. Hence reducing family members' care burden is very important for a patient as well as their family members. Therefore if we make intervention strategies considering these influential factors, it could be more effective to reduce family caregiver's burden.