| Objectives:This study aimed to identify the current status and the correlations among fatigue,anxiety,depression,and the burden of these conditions on caregivers of stroke patients.The factors influencing fatigue status among caregivers were investigated to provide reference data for formulating intervention to prevent fatigue.Methods:This was a cross-sectional study involving stroke patients and their caregivers in the Neurology and Neurosurgery Department of 2 Grade-A tertiary hospitals in Nanchong City.Using a convenience sampling method,participants were surveyed using a set of questionnaires,including the general data questionnaire,hospital anxiety and depression scale(HADS),Zarit burden interview(ZBI),Chinese versions of the family adaptability and cohesion evaluation scales(FACESII-CV),and fatigue scale-14(FS-14).Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 21.0 software.Demographic data were expressed as frequency and constituent ratio.Normally distributed measurement data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation;otherwise,they were expressed as median(M)and quartile(P25,P75).Differences between groups were compared with the t-test,analysis of variance(ANOVA),correlation analysis,and multiple linear regression.Results:1.Baseline characteristics of subjects:A total of 247 caregivers of stroke patients were recruited,with a mean age of(52.63±11.84)years.Among them,92(37.24%)caregivers were younger than 49 years.The majority of caregivers,229(92.71%),were married,among whom 148(59.92%)were female caregivers.Notably,119(48.18%)caregivers were spouses.In terms of educational background,many of the caregivers had primary and middle school level of education,184(74.49%).The total monthly income of most caregivers 191(77.32%)was less than CNY 5,000.2.The total score of fatigue among stroke caregivers was(7.26±3.65)points,which was considered moderate.In detail,the dimension of physical fatigue and mental fatigue was(4.83±2.56)and(2.43±1.78)points,respectively.The median score of anxiety was 7(3,15),whereas that of depression was 8(4,16).The incidence of anxiety and depression was 49.39%and 52.23%,respectively.The total score of caring burden was(42.02±20.09)points,which was considered moderate.Most caregivers,162 people(65.59%),had moderate and severe burden≥40 points.In detail,the dimension of personal burden and responsibility burden was(22.45±10.89)and(11.09±6.10)points,respectively.The total score of family function was(102.56±20.75)points,which was considered to be good.In detail,the scores of intimacy dimension and adaptability dimension were(55.21±11.88)and(47.39±9.60),respectively,showing acceptable intimacy and adaptability.The main family types were balanced and intermediate types,accounting for 55.87%and 25.10%,respectively,whereas 19.03%were of extreme type.3.Univariate analysis showed that the number of hospitalizations,duration of hospitalization,type of stroke,type of combined chronic diseases and ADL grade of patients,educational background,working status,total monthly income of family,relationship with patients,sleep quality,and chronic diseases among caregivers were significantly correlated with fatigue(P<0.05).4.Correlation analysis showed that fatigue was positively correlated with anxiety(r=0.383,P<0.05),depression(r=0.452,P<0.05),and care burden(r=0.534,P<0.05).5.Taking the fatigue of stroke caregivers as the dependent variable,the significant variables in the univariate analysis and correlation analysis as the independent variables,multiple linear regression analysis was performed.Patient’s factors,including the duration of hospitalization,type of stroke,and ADL grade of patients were included in model 1(P<0.05),which explained 34.4%of the variance.Caregiver’s factors,including the sleep quality,chronic diseases,work status,family monthly income,and family type were included into model 2 based on model 1(P<0.05),which jointly explained 57.7%of the variance.The care burden was included into model 3 based on model 2(P<0.05),which jointly explained 67%of the variance.Conclusions:1.The fatigue status among caregivers of stroke patients was moderately high,with physical fatigue being severer compared with that of mental fatigue.Moreover,the caring burden was at a moderate level.The incidence of anxiety and depression was high.The family function was acceptable,and most of the family types were balanced,although some extreme families were observed in this study.2.The anxiety,depression,and care burden of stroke caregivers were positively correlated with fatigue,that is,the higher score of anxiety and depression of caregivers,the severer the degree of fatigue among caregivers.3.Duration of hospitalization,type of stroke,and ADL grade of patients,sleep quality,chronic diseases,working status,total monthly income of family,caring burden,and family type of caregivers were the main influencing factors for the fatigue status among caregivers of stroke patients.4.Caregivers for patients with long hospital stays,critical conditions,and poor self-care ability had severe fatigue.In addition,caregivers with chronic diseases,low family income,and poor family function had a higher risk of fatigue.Caregivers should adopt strategies to relieve their fatigue as this will improve the care quality for patients. |
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