Association of Caregiver Availability and Training With Patient Community Discharge After Stroke.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between committed caregivers and caregiver training with community discharge from inpatient rehabilitation after a stroke.

DESIGN

Secondary analysis of data extracted from electronic health records linked with the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation.

SETTING

Three hospital-based inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRF) in a major metropolitan area.

PARTICIPANTS

1397 adult patients (mean ± SD age: 69.4 [13.5]; 724 men) transferred from an acute care setting to inpatient rehabilitation after an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke (N=1397).

INTERVENTION

None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Community discharge from IRF.

RESULTS

82.4% of patients had caregivers, 63.4% of patient caregivers received training at the IRF, and 79.5% had community discharge. After adjusting for age, stroke severity, functional status, and other social risk factors, having a committed caregiver and caregiver training were significantly associated with community discharge (odds ratio [OR]=7.80, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.03-12.10 and OR=4.89, 95% CI: 3.16-7.57, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Caregivers increase a patient's likelihood of discharge from IRF; the added benefit of caregiver training needs to be further assessed, with essential elements prioritized prior to patients' IRF discharge.