title: [Impact on quality of life in caregivers of stroke survivors].
abstract: Stroke is the first cause of disability in adults. Often, the care falls on the family and can affect their quality of life.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the health-related quality of life and the level of caregiver burden of a patient after a stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive and cross-sectional study. Caregivers, who had cared for a patient for more than six months and without pay, were included. This study had been approved by the Ethics Committee. Variables collected: sociodemographic, EuroQol-5D questionnaire, Zarit scale, mood and sleep problems.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-eight caregivers were included, with a mean age of 55.63 (SD: 13.48) and the majority were women (70.8%). The mean time of the care was 28.8 months (SD: 28.68), with 58% stated having a depressed mood, 31% had burden, and 89.6% had sleep problems. The dimensions that presented problems (moderate and severe) in the EQ-5D were pain-discomfort (66.7%) and anxiety-depression (68.8%). The score on the visual analog scale rating of quality of life was associated with a worse mood (75.5 vs. 32, p=0.0028), with the pain (81.94 vs. 38, p<0.001), and Zarit scale (r:<0.334, p=0.020).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The role of caregivers of stroke patients often falls on women. To be a caregiver affects the quality of life, mainly in the pain-discomfort and anxiety-depression dimensions, regardless of the functional status of the patient. Nurses must identify the psychopathological needs and develop strategies on the prevention of the risk of burnout.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Ictus, Departamento de Neurología, Complejo Hospitalario de Cáceres, Cáceres, España. Electronic address: fidel.lopez.es@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Fidel
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: López-Espuela
authors.affiliation: Sección Departamental de Enfermería, Departamento de Cirugía, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: González-Gil
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Ictus, Departamento de Neurología, Complejo Hospitalario de Cáceres, Cáceres, España.
authors.forename: María Antonia
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Gracia
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Ictus, Departamento de Neurología, Complejo Hospitalario de Cáceres, Cáceres, España.
authors.forename: Sherezade
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bravo-Fernández
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermería, Hospital Campo Arañuelo, Navalmoral de la Mata, Cáceres, España.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Amarilla-Donoso
mesh_terms: D017028:Caregivers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D020521:Stroke / Q000451:nursing; D017741:Survivors
keywords: Burden; Calidad de vida; Caregivers; Cuidadores; Health related quality of life; Ictus; Sobrecarga; Stroke