Burden of Caregiving for Young Stroke Survivors in the Community: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Caring for young stroke survivors presents challenges for carers. Little is known about the burden experienced by them. In this study, we estimated the caregiving burden among carers of young stroke survivors and explored its patterns and determinants. One hundred and fifty young stroke survivors (aged <45 years at index stroke) and their caregivers were recruited in this hospital-based cross-sectional study, three or more months from the stroke. We estimated the burden of caregiving using Burden Assessment Schedule-20 (BAS). Cognitive status, physical disability, and neuropsychiatric symptoms were evaluated using standard instruments. We used descriptive statistics and performed multivariate analysis for factors associated with high burden. We used STATA ver. 14.2, Stata Corp, TX, USA. The median age of caregivers was 37.5 years (IQR 12) and 98 (65.3%) were women. The carers were most often spouses (101; 67.3%). The median total BAS score was 28 (IQR 12). Most carers (127; 84.7%) experienced some burden while 15 (10%; 95%CI: 5.2%–14.8%) reported high burden. The most common domain of burden was relationships with others (105; 70%) and marital relationships (66; 65%). Dementia (OR: 2.55; 95%CI: 1.07–6.07) and the presence of neuropsychiatric symptoms (OR: 7.62 95%CI: 2.94–19.81) were associated with an increased burden of caregiving. Most caregivers of young stroke survivors experience some burden, with interpersonal relationships being the most common domain. Dementia and neuropsychiatric symptoms are associated with increased burden.