Identification of stroke carers 'at risk': a preliminary study of the predictors of carers' psychological well-being at one year post stroke

Background: A third of carers of people who have had a stroke experience poor psychological health. Early prediction of carers' later well-being would allow interventions to be targeted at carers most at risk of a poor outcome. Aim: To develop a predictive model for the identification of stroke...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Clinical rehabilitation 1996-11, Vol.10 (4), p.337-346
Main Authors: Hodgson, Susan P, Wood, Victorine A, Langton-Hewer, Richard
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Carers
Diseases of the nervous system
Medical sciences
Patients
Predictors
Psychological wellbeing
Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects)
Strokes
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Summary:Background: A third of carers of people who have had a stroke experience poor psychological health. Early prediction of carers' later well-being would allow interventions to be targeted at carers most at risk of a poor outcome. Aim: To develop a predictive model for the identification of stroke carers at risk of developing poor psychological well-being in the first year post stroke. Method: Fifty consecutive one-year survivors of a stroke and their carers were assessed on a range of demographic, environmental and psychosocial variables at three months post stroke. The carers' psychological well-being at 12 months post stroke was assessed using the General Well-Being Index (GWBI). Multiple regression analysis was performed to identify the best early predictors of carers' later well-being. Results: The regression analysis identified three significant predictors of carers' well-being: carers' appraisal of caregiving stress; carers' physical health; and carers' satisfaction with service provision (r 2 = 0.53). Using this model, 72% of carers' predicted well-being scores fell within nine points of their actual 12-month GWBI score. Conclusion: Findings from this preliminary study indicate that it may be possible to identify carers most likely to experience poor psychological well- being. In order to develop a clinically usable 'carer risk prediction instrument' further research to test this model is essential.
ISSN:0269-2155
1477-0873
DOI:10.1177/026921559601000413