Factors influencing quality of life among family caregivers of persons with stroke in Myanmar

Abstract

dvanced health care system could improve survival rate among stroke patients, but remaining physical dysfunction and neuro impairments of patients require assistance from family caregivers, particularly in recovery stage. It was evident that higher quality of life of caregivers could offer good quality of care to the patients and that in turn improved recovery of patients in the rehabilitation process. A theoretical framework of the Stress Process Model developed by Pearlin and colleagues (1990) was used as a guide in this study. This study aimed to identify the level of QoL and its influencing factors among caregivers of persons with stroke at three months after discharge to home in Myanmar. This predictive correlational study was conducted among 303 caregivers by convenient sampling. Data were collected at follow-up out-patient departments for stroke patients from three major government hospitals in Myanmar. Caregivers were interviewed by six validated demographic questionnaires, Barthel Index, Zarit Burden Interview questionnaire, The Brief COPE, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and The World Health Organization Quality of Life–Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) instruments. Data were then analyzed using descriptive statistics and hierarchical regression analysis. The participants reported a moderate level of quality of life (mean = 65.2, SD = 11.33). In hierarchical regression analysis, seven predictors were statistically significant. Burden was the strongest predictor of quality of life among caregivers (β = -.40, p < .001). Other predictors of quality of life among caregivers were caregivers who had below high school level of education (β = -.23, p < .001), caregivers who ran home business (β = -.10, p < .01) compared with unemployed caregivers, number of caregiving hours per day (β = -.09, p < .01), average family income per month (β = .19, p < .001), functional status of patients (β = .11, p < .01), and caregivers who had low social support (β = -.17, p < .001). However, three domains of coping did not predict quality of life among caregivers. These seven predictors significantly explained 83.8% of the variance in quality of life among family caregivers. In this study, three were modifiable factors. These depict the strategies to improve functional status of stroke patient, to reduce caregiver burden and to seek support with available resources in the form of educational sessions led by professionals and group or home visiting support programs.