Sociodemographic, physical and psychosocial factors associated with depressive behaviour in family caregivers of stroke survivors in the acute care phase.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined sociodemographic, physical and psychosocial characteristics of family caregivers of stroke survivors at risk for depression.


METHODS
A correlational study.


METHODS
Data were collected from 52 family caregivers and care recipients with ischemic stroke. Data were collected 1-2 days before discharge from a rehabilitative facility and at 5, 9 and 13 weeks post-discharge.


RESULTS
Compared to African Americans, Caucasians had approximately 3.7 times higher odds of being at risk. The odds of being at risk for depressive behaviour decreased by 30% for each unit increase in belonging and increased by 5% for each unit increase in burden.


CONCLUSIONS
Family caregivers who are isolated from others may benefit from therapeutic interventions that facilitate social interaction and decrease caregiver burden. Ethnic differences in caregiver depression merit further research.
Grant
Joan S
JS
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35249, USA. grantj@son.uab.edu
Weaver
Michael
M
Elliott
Timothy R
TR
Bartolucci
Alfred R
AR
Newman Giger
Joyce
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D020521:Stroke / Q000451:nursing*