Caregiver Depression Among Home-Bound Stroke Patients in an Urban Community

Introduction The sudden undertaking of being a caregiver for a spouse or family member afflicted with a stroke can cause adverse psychological consequences. In Malaysia, the majority of stroke patients return home to be cared for by family members and continue rehabilitation as outpatients. In most local urban communities, the practice of shared caregiving is observed among stroke caregivers either out of necessity or familism. Sole or primary caregivers who share their homes with stroke patients would be more challenged physically and psychologically compared to secondary or joint caregivers. Sharing the caregiving responsibilities is believed to lighten the burden on primary caregivers. This study aims to determine the proportion and associated factors of depression among urban-dwelling caregivers of home-bound stroke patients receiving long-term care from a university-based primary care clinic. Methodology A cross-sectional study involving 123 primary and secondary caregivers of stroke patients was conducted at Klinik Primer PPUKM Cheras (KPPC) and the outpatient Medical Rehabilitation Services Department Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz (HCTM), Cheras Kuala Lumpur. A self-administered questionnaire comprising of sociodemographic characteristics, the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support questionnaire (MSPSS) was used. The functional status of the stroke patients was assessed using the Modified Rankin Score (MRS). Results The proportion of respondents with depression was 20.3% (n=25). Depression was associated with caregivers’ age (CI=42.23-50.09, p=0.016), presence of illness (p=0.001), and being a sole caregiver (p=0.001). There is also an association found between caregiver depression with longer duration post-stroke (CI= 12.75-16.13, p<0.001), longer time spent for caregiving (CI= 117.73-135.87, p=0.004), and more functionally dependant patients (p=0.002). Conclusion Depression affects one in five caregivers of home-bound stroke patients residing in the urban community. The primary care provider should be more vigilant in screening for depression, especially among caregivers who are from older age groups, have ongoing health problems, and are sole caregivers to patients who are functionally dependant.