The Relationship between Burden of Stroke and Burden of Caregiver with Quality of Life in Survivors of Stroke Patients and their Care-Givers in Clinics of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences 2016

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Stroke is one of the most common chronic diseases and the main reason for the inability of adults and it is because of acute nerve damage caused by abnormal blood flow to part of the brain tissue or rupture of one of the cerebrovascular vessels.. Majority of patients suffer from severe neurological defects after acute phase of stroke. The concept of quality of life goes beyond physical health. The burden of care refers to the negative feeling of experiencing pressure, as a result of taking care of a chronic patient. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between burden of disease and care giving with quality of life of stroke survivors and caregivers. Methodology: The present study is a correlation study that do in 240 patients who were rescued from stroke and their caregivers who were referred to Tabriz University of Medical Sciences (Imam Reza and Razi) clinics and were selected by available sampling method. The data gathering tool was a questionnaire consisting of 4 sections: 1. Individual-social characteristics of patients; 2. World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire; 3. Burden of Stroke Scale; 4. Caregivers strain Index. The data were collected and analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics. Results :The results showed that the highest mean of dimensions of quality of life in patients was related to social relationships dimension (47.31 ± 18.18) and the lowest mean was related to physical health (34.37 ± 15.76). In caregivers, the highest mean score was related to the physical health (76 ± 15.97) and the lowest mean was related to environmental health (56.64 ± 16.95). The highest mean of disease burden was related to the physical activity limitation (63.71 ± 17.001) and the lowest mean of disease burden related to the recognition domain (57.72 ± 14.08). The average care burden is (8.876 ± 1.653). Between the burden of disease and the quality of life of patients except for swallowing dimension, which is inversely significant, in other areas, there is a reverse and meaningful relationship, p<0.05 and r=-0.0485. The relationship between care burden in the CSI score of 7 or more was reversed with the physical and psychological aspects of quality of life (r = -0.37, p <0.05). Conclusions: The findings of the study showed that the burden of disease and care burden affect the quality of life of patients and caregivers and relationship between is inversely significant Therefore, interventions and support based on the empowerment of patients and caregivers is essential.