Predictors of Burden for First-Ever Stroke Survivor’s Long-Term Caregivers: A Study of KOSCO
Jin-Won Lee,
Min Kyun Sohn,
Jongmin Lee,
Deog Young Kim,
Yong-Il Shin,
Gyung-Jae Oh,
Yang-Soo Lee,
Min Cheol Joo,
So Young Lee,
Junhee Han,
Jeonghoon Ahn,
Yun-Hee Kim,
Min-Keun Song,
Won Hyuk Chang
Affiliations
Jin-Won Lee
Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju 61469, Republic of Korea
Min Kyun Sohn
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
Jongmin Lee
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
Deog Young Kim
Department and Research Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
Yong-Il Shin
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea
Gyung-Jae Oh
Department of Preventive Medicine, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan 54538, Republic of Korea
Yang-Soo Lee
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu 41944, Republic of Korea
Min Cheol Joo
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan 54538, Republic of Korea
So Young Lee
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju City 63243, Republic of Korea
Junhee Han
Department of Statistics, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Republic of Korea
Jeonghoon Ahn
Department of Health Convergence, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
Yun-Hee Kim
Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Center for Prevention and Rehabilitation, Heart Vascular Stroke Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06355, Republic of Korea
Min-Keun Song
Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju 61469, Republic of Korea
Won Hyuk Chang
Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Center for Prevention and Rehabilitation, Heart Vascular Stroke Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06355, Republic of Korea
Long-term changes in caregiver burden should be clarified considering that extended post-stroke disability can increase caregiver stress. We assessed long-term changes in caregiver burden severity and its predictors. This study was a retrospective analysis of the Korean Stroke Cohort for Functioning and Rehabilitation. Patients with an acute first-ever stroke were enrolled from August 2012 to May 2015. Data were collected at 6 months and 6 years after stroke onset. The caregiver burden was measured with a subjective caregiver burden questionnaire based on the Korean version of the Caregiver Burden Inventory. The caregivers’ characteristics and patients’ clinical and functional status were also examined at each follow-up. A high caregiver burden, which suggests a risk of burnout, was reported by 37.9% and 51.7% of caregivers at 6 months and 6 years post-stroke, respectively. Both the caregiver burden total score and proportion of caregivers at risk of burnout did not decrease between 6 months and 6 years. The patients’ disability (OR = 11.60; 95% CI 1.58–85.08; p = 0.016), caregivers’ self-rated stress (OR = 0.03; 95% CI 0.00–0.47; p = 0.013), and caregivers’ quality of life (OR = 0.76; 95% CI 0.59–0.99; p = 0.042) were burden predictors at 6 months. At 6 years, only the patients’ disability (OR = 5.88; 95% CI 2.19–15.82; p p = 0.001) showed significance. Nearly half of the caregivers were at risk of burnout, which lasted for 6 years after stroke onset. The patients’ disability and caregivers’ stress were burden predictors in both subacute and chronic phases of stroke. The findings suggest that consistent interventions, such as emotional support or counseling on stress relief strategies for caregivers of stroke survivors, may reduce caregiver burden. Further research is needed to establish specific strategies appropriate for Korean caregivers to alleviate their burden in caring for stroke patients.
