Perceived needs and experiences of informal caregivers of adult stroke survivors post discharge in Lusaka

Abstract

stroke is a serious health problem in both developing and developed countries. lt is estimated that more than one-half of stroke survivors are left with residue disabilities that require assistance with activities of daily living, such as, eating, bathing and dressing. Family or community members who volunteer to provide the assistance in activities of daily living for the disabled are referred to as informal caregivers. The main aim of this study is to identify the expressed needs and experiences of informal caregivers of adult stroke patients attending physiotherapy sessions at University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka and investigate factors influencing them. seventy informal caregivers of stroke patients attending the out-patient physiotherapy department were recruited for this study. A cross-sectional descriptive study design utilizing a questionnaire with closed items and another with open items administered by the researcher are used in the present study. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Higher Degrees committee of the University of the Western Cape's Faculty of Community Health Science. The statistical Package for Social sciences (SPSS) and statistical Analysis system (SAS) were used in order to obtain frequencies, cross tabulations and correlations. Interviews using the questionnaire with open-ended items were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcribed data were reduced into categories and categories into themes. The themes that were more frequent were information of stroke rehabilitation and knowledge about stroke, discontinuity of caregiver's daily routine, need for support services, work overload, need for community centred programmes, need for finances, views on physiotherapy rehabilitation services and need for respite care.