EPA-1332 – Family Burden in Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)

Abstract

Objective

The CVA is one of the most serious medical problems. It represents the third most common cause of death in North Amerika and in most countries of Europe. In Japan and in China is the most frequent cause of death.

We present a 18-month follow-up data on the burden of families of stroke individuals. The purpose of this study is to investigate the degree of family burden in families of patients with chronic CVA.

Methods-subjects

The sample comprised 110 patients with CVA aged 40–90 years old and their caregivers. The form-questionnaire consisting essentially of the Family Burden Scale (MG Madianos and M. Oikonomou). Descriptive statistics are used for the presentation of the results

Results

The caregivers were in the majority the spouse (50%), and the children (39%).

The results show that the increased burden was related more to leisure of the caregivers and less to their daily activities.

The type of CVA Is not associated with caregivers burden. Family burden is strongly dependent on the initial inability of the patients as well their age and the time elapsed from the start of the disease.

The age of the caregiver does not play any role in family burden,

Furthermore the financial burden is related only with the disability.

Conclusion

The factors that have been implicated for the family burden were mainly the severity of disability, the duration of the illness and the age of the chronically ill, factors which can influence severe the caregivers.