Article

Caring for a person who has experienced stroke can be a formidable task
placing considerable demands upon the informal caregiver. Although the impact of
caring on mental health has been well established, less convincing associations
between caregiving and declining physical health have been reported. In order to
examine the impact of caregiving over time on the physical health of individuals
providing informal care for individuals with stroke, we conducted a review of the
published literature. METHOD: Literature searches of three electronic databases
were conducted for the years 1996-2008 to identify studies providing longitudinal
data based on repeated quantitative assessment of physical health. Pooled
analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Sixteen studies were identified for inclusion.
On the basis of pooled analyses, perceived physical health appeared stable over
time. When comparisons to normative values were possible, the experience of
health did not differ substantially from age- and sex-matched norms. Associations
between physical health and psychological distress or well-being were identified.
CONCLUSIONS: Informal caregiving does not result, necessarily, in reduced
physical health. Further study is required to examine the timing and nature of
the relationship between psychological distress and physical health to inform
provision of services intended to maintain caregiver health and well being.

Langue : ANGLAIS