Psychological Health and Life Situation in Spouses of Stroke Patients
Year: 2007
Type: dissertation
Abstract: About 30,000 people in Sweden are affected by stroke each year. The\neffect on physical functioning, and also consequences such as depression\nand aphasia, are likely to affect not only the life of the patient, but\nalso the life of the spouse and family. The aims of the thesis were to\nidentify factors of importance for the life situation of spouses of\nstroke patients and to evaluate the effect of a support- and education\nprogramme on the spouses psychological health.\n\nThe participants in this thesis were gathered from three different\npopulations. Participants in Paper I were significant others of depressed\nstroke patients. The aim of this study was to describe the life situation\namong significant others to patients with post stroke depression (PSD)\nand to identify associations between the life situation of the\nsignificant other in relation to patient characteristics. In Paper II the\nparticipants were significant others of depressed or aphasic stroke\npatients. The aim was to describe and compare predictors of the life\nsituation of significant others of depressed or aphasic stroke patients.\nIn Papers III and IV the participants were spouses of stroke patients\nconsecutively approached and invited to participate in a randomised\ncontrolled trial (RCT) intervention programme. The aim of Paper III was\nto explore if a nurse-led support- and education programme for spouses of\npersons affected by stroke improved the psychological health in the\nspouses, and the aim of Paper IV was to identify predictors of\npsychological health and to examine if these predictors change over time\nin spouses of stroke patients during the first year after stroke. A\nsecond aim was to identify gender differences in psychological health\namong the spouses.\n\nPerceived need of assistance was the only common predictor of the life\nsituation of the significant other of both significant others of\ndepressed and aphasic stroke patients. Amongst the aphasic patients,\nperceived personality change and living with the patient were factors\nthat had a negative effect on the life situation of the significant\nother. General well-being and presence of illness in the spouse were the\nmost prominent predictors of psychological health, throughout the first\nyear.\n\nSignificant others of stroke patients participating in a support- and\neducation programme had significantly more knowledge about stroke after\n12 months compared to the controls. No difference in psychological health\nwas found. However, the 5 participants appreciated the group sessions and\nthe attention from the health professionals. Significant others of male\nstroke patients reported a more negative impact on their life situation,\nthan did significant others of female stroke patients. There was a\nsignificant relation between the patient s level of depression and\nphysical function (ADL); those with less impaired ADL had more major\ndepression than those with more impaired ADL.\n\nThis thesis highlights the importance of assessing the situation of\nspouses of stroke patients. The perception of the patient s need of\nassistance is an important factor affecting the life situation of spouses\nof both depressed and aphasic stroke patients. An intervention programme\nincreases the spouses knowledge about stroke, but a combination of group\nmeetings and individualised support may be necessary in order to gain\neffect also on the psychological health. Assessments of the spouses \nperception as well as of the patients factual situation may identify\nspouses at risk. Enhancing the psychological health and supporting those\nin need may enable the patient to continue to live at home without\nrisking the health of the spouse.
Source: Figshare
Author: Åsa Franzén‐Dahlin
Language: English
Topic: Nursing care and research
Subfield: Research and Theory
Field: Nursing
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1563505127