Article

Stroke survivors live with varied degrees of disabilities
and cares are provided largely by the informal caregivers. This study
investigated informal caregivers' burden and strains of caring for stroke
patients. This study involved 157 (81 males and 76 females) informal
caregivers of stroke survivors receiving care in all secondary and tertiary
health institutions with physiotherapy services in Lagos State, Nigeria.
Information was collected through self-administered questionnaire during
clinic-hours. Data was analyzed using Spearman's Rank Correlation Coefficient.
RESULT: The patients' age ranged between 20 and 79 (mean=59.6 +/- 14.6 years).
Sixty-one had haemorrhagic stroke while 96 had ischaemic stroke. The informal
caregivers' age was 39.2 +/- 12.8 years (range: 17-36 years). More (60.8%)
participants reported moderate objective while 79.2% had mild subjective burdens.
The following factors significantly increased (P<0.05) the level of burden and
strains experienced by the informal caregivers: closer intimacy with the stroke
survivors, fewer number of caregivers for the stroke patient, longer duration
since the onset of stroke and more hours of caregiving per day. Caregiving had
negative significant influence (P<0.05) on the social, emotional, health and
financial well-beings of the informal caregivers. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION:
Caring for stroke survivors put social, emotional, health and financial burdens
and strains on the informal caregivers. These burdens and strains increase with
duration of stroke, intimacy, smaller number of caregivers and length of daily
caregiving. Therefore, informal caregivers should be involved in the
rehabilitation plan for stroke patients and their well-being should also be given
adequate attention.
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Langue : ANGLAIS