Caregiver burden and emotional problems in partners of stroke patients at two months and one year post-stroke: Determinants and prediction.
(a) To determine levels of and factors explaining partners' burden, anxiety and depressive symptoms at two months post-stroke, (b) to predict partners' burden, anxiety and depressive symptoms at one year post-stroke based on patient and partner characteristics available at two months post-stroke.



Prospective cohort study. Partners of stroke patients (N=183) were included. Main outcome measures were the Caregiver Strain Index and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.



Many partners experienced high burden, anxiety and depressive symptoms. At two months post-stroke, these outcomes were associated with the partner variables: age, relationship satisfaction, pro-active coping, self-efficacy, everyday social support, burden, anxiety and depressive symptoms; and the patient variables: stroke severity and depressive symptoms. Partner outcomes at one year post-stroke were mainly predicted by the level of these outcomes at two months post-stroke.



Partner outcomes at two months post-stroke predict to a large degree partner outcomes at one year post-stroke.



Measuring partners' burden and anxiety and depressive symptoms in the post-acute phase is recommended to trace partners at risk of long-term burden and emotional problems.
Brain Center Rudolf Magnus and Center of Excellence for Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht and De Hoogstraat Rehabilitation, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Willeke J
WJ
Kruithof
Brain Center Rudolf Magnus and Center of Excellence for Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht and De Hoogstraat Rehabilitation, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Center for Rehabilitation, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Marcel W M
MW
Post
Brain Center Rudolf Magnus and Center of Excellence for Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht and De Hoogstraat Rehabilitation, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Maria L
ML
van Mierlo
Department of Social Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Geertrudis A M
GA
van den Bos
Brain Center Rudolf Magnus and Center of Excellence for Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht and De Hoogstraat Rehabilitation, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Janneke M
JM
de Man-van Ginkel
Brain Center Rudolf Magnus and Center of Excellence for Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht and De Hoogstraat Rehabilitation, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: j.m.a.visser-meily@umcutrecht.nl.
Johanna M A
JM
Visser-Meily
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*
Burden; Caregivers; Emotional problems; Stroke