Effects of caregiver education in stroke rehabilitation on the quality of life of stroke survivors

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of home health care and rehabilitation programs provided for caregivers on the quality of life (QOL) of stroke survivors. Sixty stroke participants and their caregivers were enrolled by cluster random sampling from community areas in Chiang Mai province, Thailand, and divided into two groups of thirty each: (1) an experimental group that received the intervention program, and (2) a control. Education on health care and stroke rehabilitation was provided for caregivers in the experimental group. The QOL of stroke patients was analyzed before and two months post intervention. Results demonstrated that the QOL in the experimental and control group did not differ before intervention. However, it scored significantly higher at post-test than pretest in the experimental group in physical (F(1, 29) = 41.05; p<0.05), psychological (F(1, 29) = 37.96; p<0.05), and environmental areas (F(1, 29) = 9.58; p<0.05), but no difference occurred in the social relationship domain. The control group showed no difference between pre- and post-tests in all domains of QOL. Health professionals should know the benefits of the program in order that caregivers of stroke patients can apply it at post hospital discharge.