The level of depression and quality of life of caregivers to stroke survivors

Abstract

This study aimed at determining the level of depressionand quality of life and investigating their correlations withcertain concurrent problems in caregivers to stroke patientsand comparing these results to those obtained inhealthy volunteers.84 caregivers to stroke patients were included in the patientgroup while the control group included 77 healthyvolunteers who were not responsible for caregiving to anychronic patient. The Modified Rankin Scale was used todetermine the disability level of stroke survivors and theNational Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was usedto determine the severity of stroke; the Functional IndependenceMeasure (FIM) was used to determine the functionallevel of stroke survivors. The Beck Depression Inventory(BDI) was used to determine the level of depressionand Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to determinethe level of pain. The level of depression in the caregiverand control groups was assessed by using the BDI, theirquality of life was assessed by using the Short Form-36 (SF-36) and their level of pain was assessed by using the VAS.In addition, the level of fatigue of caregivers and controlswas assessed by using a 0 to 10 scale (no fatigue at all andextreme fatigue).Intergroup comparisons revealed that the level of depression,the level of fatigue and the level of pain were statisticallysignificantly higher while mental quality of life waslower in the caregiver group (p<0.05), and no significantdifference was found between two groups in the physicalcomponent of the quality of life (p>0.05).The level of depression, the level of pain and the level offatigue in caregiver group revealed a negative impact associatedwith caregiving to a stroke survivor. Therefore,these parameters should be assessed in people who areresponsible for caregiving to stroke survivors and especiallymental and psychological influences of caregiving shouldbe taken in consideration.