Abstract
The objective of this longitudinal study was to detect the relationship between the sense of coherence (SOC), which is an adaptive coping response, and depression in informal caregivers of stroke survivors across 2 years. One-hundred-fifteen veterans, who were hospitalized after experiencing an acute stroke, and their informal caregivers were enrolled prior to discharge. Data were collected via face-to-face in-home interviews at 1, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after discharge. A linear mixed model was fitted to estimate the effects of the time-dependent covariates (SOC) while considering the dependence of outcome measures at repeated times. Based on the linear mixed model, caregivers with a stronger SOC were associated with lower levels of caregiver depression across 2 years following a stroke (p < 0.0001). SOC seems to be an important aspect of a caregiver’s capacity to cope after tending to the needs of a stroke patient.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Visser-Meily A, Post M, Schepers V, et al. Spouses’ quality of life 1 year after stroke: Prediction at the start of clinical rehabilitation. Cerebrovascular Diseases. 2005;20(6):443–448.
Grant JS, Elliott TR, Weaver M, et al. Telephone intervention with family caregivers of stroke survivors after rehabilitation. Stroke. 2002;33(8):2060–2065.
Visser-Meily A, van Heugten C, Post M, et al. Intervention studies for caregivers of stroke survivors: a critical review. Patient Education and Counseling. 2005;56(3):257–267.
Chumbler NR, Rittman M, Van Puymbroeck M, et al. The sense of coherence, burden, and depressive symptoms in informal caregivers during the first month after stroke. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 2004;19(10):944–953.
Gallagher TJ, Wagenfeld MO, Baro F, et al. Sense of coherence, coping and caregiver role overload. Social Science and Medicine. 1994;39(12):1615–1622.
Van Puymbroeck M, Rittman MR. Quality-of-life predictors for caregivers at 1 and 6 months poststroke: Results of path analyses. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development. 2005;42(6):747–760.
Forsberg-Warleby G, Moller A, Blomstrand C. Spouses of first-ever stroke victims: sense of coherence in the first phase after stroke. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine. 2002;34(3):128–133.
Williams CL, Rittman MR, Boylstein C, et al. Qualitative and quantitative measurement of depression in veterans recovering from stroke. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development. 2005;42(3):277–290.
Yesavage JA, Brink TL, Rose TL, et al. Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale: a preliminary report. Journal of Psychiatric Research. 1982;17(1):37–49.
Antonovsky A. Unraveling the mystery of health: How people manage stress and stay well, 1st ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass; 1987.
Eriksson M, Lindstrom B. Validity of Antonovsky’s sense of coherence scale: a systematic review. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. 2005;59(6):460–466.
Granger CV, Hamilton BB. UDS report. The Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation report of first admissions for 1990. American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. 1992;71(2):108–113.
SAS Institute. SAS Procedures Guide, Version 8 [computer program]. Cary: SAS Institute; 2000.
Verbeke G, Molengerghs G. Linear mixed models for longitudinal data. New York: Springer; 2000.
Dennis M, O’Rourke S, Lewis S, et al. A quantitative study of the emotional outcome of people caring for stroke survivors. Stroke. 1998;29(9):1867–1872.
Jonsson AC, Lindgren I, Hallstrom B, et al. Determinants of quality of life in stroke survivors and their informal caregivers. Stroke. 2005;36(4):803–808.
Berg A, Palomaki H, Lonnqvist J, et al. Depression among caregivers of stroke survivors. Stroke. 2005;36(3):639–643.
Wyller TB, Thommessen B, Sodring KM, et al. Emotional well-being of close relatives to stroke survivors. Clinical Rehabilitation. 2003;17(4):410–417.
van den Heuvel ET, de Witte LP, Schure LM, et al. Risk factors for burn-out in caregivers of stroke patients, and possibilities for intervention. Clinical Rehabilitation. 2001;15(6):669–677.
Thurston RC, Kubzansky LD, Kawachi I, et al. Do depression and anxiety mediate the link between educational attainment and CHD? Psychosomatic Medicine. 2006;68(1):25–32.
Morimoto T, Schreiner AS, Asano H. Caregiver burden and health-related quality of life among Japanese stroke caregivers. Age and Ageing. 2003;32(2):218–223.
Rule B, Harvey H, Dobbs A. Reliability of GDS in adult population. Clinical Gertontology. 1989(9):37–43.
Weintraub D, Saboe K, Stern MB. Effect of age on geriatric depression scale performance in Parkinson’s disease. Movement Disorders. 2007;22(9):1331–1335.
Han B, Haley WE. Family caregiving for patients with stroke. Review and analysis. Stroke. 1999;30(7):1478–1485.
Lindstrom B, Eriksson M. Salutogenesis. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. 2005;59(6):440–442.
Acknowledgement
Data for this analysis were obtained from a study funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D), Nursing Research Initiative (grant NRI 98-183, Maude Rittman, principal investigator). This project was also supported by the Rehabilitation Outcomes Research Center funded by VA HSR&D/Rehabilitation Research and Development Rehabilitation Outcomes Research Center, North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System. The authors acknowledge the assistance of Haijing Qin. The opinions contained in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the VA.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chumbler, N.R., Rittman, M.R. & Wu, S.S. Associations in Sense of Coherence and Depression in Caregivers of Stroke Survivors Across 2 Years. J Behav Health Serv Res 35, 226–234 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-007-9083-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-007-9083-1