Review: counselling and education may improve outcomes in caregivers of patients with stroke
Q What is the effectiveness of different types of interventions for caregivers of patients with stroke?
METHODS
Data sources:
Medline (1966 to March 2003), PsycINFO (1984 to March 2003), AMED (1985 to March 2003), and CINAHL (1982 to March 2003).
Study selection and assessment:
randomised controlled trials (RCTs), clinical trials, or uncontrolled trials with pretest and post-test measurement (published in English, German, or Dutch) that evaluated interventions for caregivers of patients with stroke or interventions for patients with stroke and their caregivers if the intervention for caregivers was described; and reported relevant outcome measures for caregivers.
Outcomes:
caregiver quality of life, emotional state, burden, family functioning, social activity in daily life, coping, satisfaction with care, knowledge about stroke, and social support.
MAIN RESULTS
18 RCTs and 4 non-randomised studies (of which 6 were of interventions for caregivers only) met the selection criteria. 4 …
