An exploratory study of anxiety in carers of stroke survivors

Abstract

Nurses working in the community are ideally placed to identify and support carers suffering from anxiety.

Burden in caregivers of long-term stroke survivors: Prevalence and determinants at 6 months and 5 years after stroke

“…This appeared to be significant in the chronic stage of stroke although, consistently with earlier studies, it was also significantly associated with the burden in the post-acute phase [22,41]. Elevated anxiety within the first months after stroke has been explained in the literature by caregivers' uncertainty about the future, for both the stroke survivors and for themselves, and by specific difficulties in that period [46,47]. Other factors however, such as increased mobilisation, the necessity to keep busy with caregiving tasks without having time for reflection about all the uncertainties and the expectation of further recovery of the patient, can all moderate the anxious feelings of the carer at that time.…”

”I Don’t Believe in Leading a Life of My Own, I Lead His Life”: A Qualitative Investigation of Difficulties Experienced by Informal Caregivers of Stroke Survivors Experiencing Depressive and Anxious Symptoms

“…Given resource limitations it was not possible to make specific efforts to recruit ethnically/racially diverse participants, sexual and gender minority participants, nor to include nonEnglish-speaking participants. Fourth, given that 50% of caregivers experience symptoms of depression (Visser-Meily et al, 2008) and anxiety (Greenwood & Mackenzie, 2010a) it could be argued that although previous research has not targeted caregivers with known elevated levels of depression or anxiety, it is likely at least some caregivers included within previous qualitative studies were experiencing some level of psychological distress. As such, it is difficult to ascertain to what extent the population recruited within the present study necessarily differs from caregiver populations included within previous studies examining the difficulties experienced by stroke caregivers more generally.…”

“…Given the range of emotional and physical consequences faced by caregivers, typically referred to as caregiver burden (Rigby, Gubitz, & Phillips, 2009), it is unsurprising there is a higher prevalence of mental health difficulties such as depression and anxiety experienced by caregivers of stroke survivors than the general population (Balhara, Verma, Sharma, & Mathur, 2012;VisserMeily, Post, van de Port, van Heugten, & Bos, 2008). Indeed, 50% of caregivers of stroke survivors experience elevated symptoms of depression (Visser-Meily et al, 2008) and anxiety (Greenwood & Mackenzie, 2010a). Further, research suggests poor caregiver mental health is negatively associated with both quality of care provision and survivor recovery (Perrin et al, 2008).…”

Mediators of the effect of the psycho-educational intervention on the psychological well-being of caregiving daughters and daughter in-laws of stroke survivors

“…Therefore, families experience a variety of anxiety and lack of preparation because of a sudden exposure to stroke victims and the adoption of a new role as a caregiver [3] . Female caregivers, especially daughters and daughter in-laws, suffer from greatest adverse emotional and physical health consequences of caregiving demands, in addition to their multiple social responsibilities [4,5] .…”