• Clinical rehabilitation · Feb 2007

    Randomized Controlled Trial

    Stress in caregivers of aphasic stroke patients: a randomized controlled trial.

    • Brian Draper, Greg Bowring, Claire Thompson, Jocelyn Van Heyst, Philip Conroy, and Julie Thompson.
    • Academic Department for Old Age Psychiatry, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney and Department of Psychiatry and School of Public Health & Community Medicine, University Of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. b.draper@unsw.edu.au
    • Clin Rehabil. 2007 Feb 1;21(2):122-30.

    BackgroundCommunication difficulties due to aphasia following stroke are particularly stressful to caregivers.ObjectiveTo examine the impact of a psychoeducation programme on caregivers' burden and stress and communication between the caregiver and aphasic stroke patient.DesignRandomized wait-list controlled trial with immediate or three-month delayed treatment.SettingThree public hospital rehabilitation services in Sydney, Australia.SubjectsThirty-nine caregivers of aphasic stroke patients, up to 12 months post stroke: 19 given immediate treatment and 20 in a delayed treatment control group.InterventionsFour-session weekly caregiver programme that included elements of education, support and communication skills conducted by a speech pathologist, social worker and clinical psychologist.Main MeasuresThe General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) was used to measure caregiver stress, the Relatives' Stress Scale was used to measure caregiver burden and a communication questionnaire was designed specifically for this project.ResultsThirty-one caregivers completed the study. Caregivers in the immediate treatment group had significant reductions in GHQ measured stress (GHQ mean (SD) at baseline= 6.26 (5.67), GHQ post treatment 3.21 (SD 4.20), P = 0.006). There was no improvement in wait-listed caregivers. Improvement was not maintained at three-month follow-up. There were no significant effects of the programme on communication skills or on caregiver burden.ConclusionsStroke caregiver support, education and training programmes have short-term effects on caregiver stress levels but are likely to require ongoing involvement to maintain their effect.

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