A Hospital-Based Study to Assess Caregiver’s Burden among Caregivers of Stroke Survivors

ABSTRACT Background: Stroke is a significant health concern worldwide, often resulting in long-term disabilities that require ongoing care and support. Although much attention has been given to survivors of stroke, the role and challenges faced by caregivers in providing this support are often underestimated. This study aimed to examine the burden among stroke survivors’ caregivers. Objectives: To identify the caregiver burden among caregivers of stroke survivors admitted to our hospital. Materials and Methods: In this study, 300 primary caregivers of 300 first-ever stroke patients who consented to participate were administered the Zarit burden interview scale at the 90-day follow-up visit. The clinical and demographic information of the stroke patients and caregivers were gathered along with the modified Rankin scale (mRS) score at 90 days. The study used descriptive statistical methods, frequencies, and percentages. Results: The mean age of the patients was 65.7 ± 14.21 years, and 60% of the patients had hypertension. During follow-up, 97.7% of patients maintained a GCS score ranging from 12 to 15. During the data collection, 3.3% of the participants were receiving NG, 4.3% exhibited urinary incontinence, and 1.0% had severe disability. A total of 17.7% used insurance services. The mean age of the caregivers was 44.8 (±23.7), 16.6% had experience caring for stroke patients, and 45.3% had given 3–4 hours of patient care. The data regarding caregiver burden assessed from the Zarit burden interview scale revealed that 170 (56.1%) of the caregivers felt that they did not have enough money to care for their relatives or the remainder of their expenses. Most participants, 168 (55.44%), felt uncomfortable about having friends over because of their relatives. Most participants (166 (54.78)) felt uncertain about what to do with their relatives. Conclusions: Supporting individuals who have had a stroke places a significant burden on those providing care, with many experiencing a significant burden ranging from moderate to severe. The study suggested that stroke rehabilitation services must address caregivers’ concerns while comprehensively focusing on patients’ recovery.