title: A cross-sectional evaluation of home health service in patients with chronic neurologic diseases in a province of Turkey.
abstract: In this study, we aimed to compare patients' characteristics, comorbid risk factors, medical supplies, and caregivers' demographics between stroke patients and patients with other chronic neurological diseases receiving home health services. In our study, between November 2013 and March 2014, chronic neurological disease (CND) patients having home health services were enrolled in the study. During patient visits, patients were assessed by the questionnaire comprising the modified Rankin scale (mRS), Barthel index, Zarit caregiver burden scale, and mini nutritional assessment (MNA). Stroke patients were classified as Group I, and the other neurologic diseases as Group II. A total of 202 patients including stroke patients (n = 112), dementia (n = 64), Parkinson's disease (n = 17), motor neuron disease (n = 4), brain cancer (n = 2), cerebral palsy (n = 1), multiple sclerosis (n = 1), and head trauma (n = 1) answered the questionnaire. The mean age of Group I (61K:51E) was 76.6 ± 9.1 years; the Group II (28M:62F) was 80.9 ± 12.3 years. The mean age of Group I was significantly lower than Group II (p = 0.005) and the number of male patients in Group I was significantly higher (p = 0.001). The educational status between the two groups was not significantly different in terms of duration of illness and addiction. There was no difference between the two groups in terms of Zarit caregiver burden scale, Barthel index, and mRS. The presence of malnutrition (MNA < 17) was significantly lower in Group I (p = 0.007). There was no difference between stroke patients and other CND patients group in terms of caregiver burden and psychosocial status except for malnutrition. Being careful on nutritional support and providing appropriate nutritional support in other CND patients are expected to increase the life quality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Bakırköy Research and Training Hospital for Psychiatry, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Istanbul, Turkey. songulsenadim@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Songul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Senadim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cabalar
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Habip
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gedik
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ali Bayram
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Kasim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Anıl
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bulut
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Vildan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Yayla
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Department, Batı Bahat Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Erdogdu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000451:nursing*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Home health services; Mini nutritional assessment; Post-stroke patients; Zarit caregiver burden scale