Background: Stroke survivors experience long-term physical, psychosocial and cognitive impairment that are formidable challenges to caregivers because caring for stroke survivors needs explicit knowledge and caregivers have to endure the stressfulness as a result of caring. In addition, little is known about perceived benefits of the stroke care giving experience.Objectives: This study was aimed to determine the caregivers’ burden and challenges as reported by caregivers of stroke survivors.Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 18 stroke caregivers. The data were collected from November 2015 to June 2016 at a conveniently selected community rehabilitation centre in Kuching, Sarawak.Results: The qualitative data analysis revealed that the burden was aggravated by financial problems, multiple responsibilities hold by the caregivers, behavioural changes of the stroke survivors and lack of social support during care giving.Conclusion: This study highlighted the experiences by the caregivers in caring for the stroke survivors that focused on the different needs of the caregivers. Understanding these experiences may help the service providers to provide better support and resources for caregivers in caring for stroke survivors.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.17(4) 2018 p.593-599

The purpose of this paper is to examine the quality of life (QOL) among mothers with a child with Down syndrome using The World Health Organization Quality of Life scale instrument. A convenience sample of 161 mothers was accessed through the various institutions which provide interventional or educational programmes to children with disabilities within two of the regions of the Borneo State of Malaysia (Sarawak). Nearly half of the group of mothers perceived their QOL as neither poor nor good (n = 73). An overall QOL score of 14.0 ± 1.84 was obtained. The highest and lowest domain scores were found for social relationship domain (Mean = 14.9 ± 2.1) and environmental support domain (Mean = 13.3 ± 2.1) respectively. Correlation analysis of selected background variables (i.e. locality, education, income and marital status) and overall QOL indicated rho (161) = 0.22-0.28 (P < 0.01). Inverse correlation between maternal age and overall QOL score was indicated, with rho (161) = -0.17 (P < 0.05). Linear regression analysis indicated that the combination of these few variables together accounted for 14.5% of the QOL variability in the sample. Findings point to implications for priorities of care provisions by policy-makers and care professionals in their practice.

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Caring for stroke survivors is inevitably a burden to caregivers. It is not uncommon for stroke survivors who are discharged from the hospital and found themselves at home without any help and care from the supposed caregivers. However, in instances where there are available and willing caregivers, a sudden and unpredictable task of caring for stroke survivors require the stroke caregivers to apply their coping strategies due to the demanding nature of looking after a survivor. This study aimed to determine coping strategies undertaken by stroke caregivers in caring for stroke survivors. This was an exploratory qualitative study and data was collected from the caregivers of stroke survivor using a semi-structured guided questionnaire. A total of 18 caregivers were included in the study. The data were collected from November 2015 until June 2016 at a selected community rehabilitation centre in Kuching, Sarawak. The qualitative data analysis revealed that the coping strategies undertaken by stroke caregivers include change of role in life, self-motivation, sharing with other people, crying, trying to forget things that happen, hoping survivors will get better, emotion suppression and self-blame. The study highlighted the experiences by the caregivers for caring for stroke patients and focused on the coping strategies undertaken by the caregivers. Better ununderstanding of these experiences does help the service providers to provide better support and resources for caregivers in caring for stroke survivors.