Haley William E, Allen Jessica Y, Grant Joan S, Clay Olivio J, Perkins Martinique, Roth David L
School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, MHC 1343, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620-8100, USA.
Stroke. 2009 Jun;40(6):2129-33. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.108.545269. Epub 2009 Apr 30.
Stroke symptoms can be very stressful for family caregivers, but most knowledge about the prevalence and stressfulness of stroke-related patient problems is derived from convenience samples. In addition, little is known about perceived benefits of the stroke caregiving experience. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and stressfulness of stroke-related problems, and perceived benefits of caregiving, as reported by an epidemiologically derived sample of caregivers of stroke survivors.
Stroke survivors (N=75) from a prospective epidemiological study of stroke, the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, and their family caregivers were followed. Caregivers were given a comprehensive telephone interview 8 to 12 months after the stroke, using measures of stroke patient problems, caregiver appraisals of the stressfulness of these problems, and perceived benefits of caregiving.
Caregivers rated patient problems with mood (depression, loneliness and anxiety), memory, and physical care (bowel control), as the most stressful, but reported prevalence of these problems was lower than those reported previously in studies using clinical samples. Caregivers also reported many benefits from caregiving, with over 90% reporting that caregiving enabled them to appreciate life more.
Epidemiologically based studies of stroke caregiving provide a unique picture of caregiver strains and benefits compared with clinical studies, which tend to over-represent more impaired patients. Support for caregivers should include interventions to aid their coping with highly stressful mood, physical care, and cognitive problems of stroke patients, but should also attend to perceived benefits of caregiving.
中风症状可能会给家庭照顾者带来极大压力，但大多数关于中风相关患者问题的发生率及压力程度的认知都来自便利样本。此外，对于中风照顾经历的感知益处知之甚少。本研究的目的是确定中风幸存者的照顾者（通过流行病学抽样选取）所报告的中风相关问题的发生率及压力程度，以及照顾的感知益处。
对中风前瞻性流行病学研究“中风地理和种族差异原因（REGARDS）研究”中的中风幸存者（N = 75）及其家庭照顾者进行随访。在中风发生8至12个月后，对照顾者进行全面的电话访谈，采用中风患者问题的测量方法、照顾者对这些问题压力程度的评估以及照顾的感知益处评估。
照顾者将患者的情绪问题（抑郁、孤独和焦虑）、记忆问题以及身体护理问题（肠道控制）评为压力最大的问题，但报告的这些问题的发生率低于先前使用临床样本的研究中所报告的发生率。照顾者还报告了照顾带来的许多益处，超过90%的照顾者表示照顾使他们更懂得珍惜生活。
与倾向于过度代表病情更严重患者的临床研究相比，基于流行病学的中风照顾研究提供了照顾者压力和益处的独特情况。对照顾者的支持应包括帮助他们应对中风患者高度紧张的情绪、身体护理和认知问题的干预措施，但也应关注照顾的感知益处。
