Caregiver Stress And Dependent-care Agency Of The Stroke Victims' Primary Family Caregivers

OBJECTIVE: This study developed the Chinese version of Caregiver Stress Index (CSI) and examined the caregiver stress on stroke victims'primary family caregivers and its related factors.Using the Roy's Adaptation Model and Orem's Self-care Model, this study investigated the principal and guidelines on nursing practice to caregivers.DESIGN:(1)This study translated and revised the English version of Caregiver Stress Index (CSI) to develop a measurement tool for caregiver stress. (2)A convenient sample of 167 stroke victims'primary family caregivers and a cluster sample of 86 nurses in three provincial and two municipal general hospitals provided data.The caregivers were interviewed and administered the Caregiver Stress Index (CSI), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Index(HAD), the Activities of Daily Life (ADL) index and other related data such as coping style, social support, care provided to stroke victims,etc.The nurses provided data on nursing pratice provided to stroke victims and other related information.RESULTS:(1)Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) for the 13-item CSI on 157 cases was 0.828.Related coefficient between total score and each item score were between 0.395 and 0.716 and all coefficient had statistical significance(P<0.01).Evidence of construct validity was obtained in three domains:physical and social stress,emotional stress, employment and financial stress.Experts believed that the Chinese version of Caregiver Stress Index (CSI) was a belief,easily administered instrument which identified caregiver at risk. (2)A CSI cut-off of 7 correctly identified 63.7% of caregivers with caregiver stress.The chi square test,linear stepwise regression and logistic regression analysis of the different interventions on the CSI score showed a statistiaclly significant relationship between caregiver stress and days the caregivers had cared the patients,...