The Effect of Support Program for Family and Caregivers of People with Stroke: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of support programs for family and caregivers of people with stroke by conducting a meta-analysis. Methods : The thesis search retrieved RCT studies from the databases of MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Pubmed. The final seven studies were systematically organized using the Jadad scale and PICO. Meta-analysis was extracted from three researches on burden of support, three on stress, three on anxiety, and four studies on depression, and analyzed by Review Manager (RevMan) 5.3 program. Results : The Jadad scale of the study to be analyzed included one excellent study and six high-level studies. The participants were 1,485 subjects in the experimental group and 1,507 subjects in the control group. The effect size of each variable in stimulus burden 0.02 (p> .0.67) and stress 0.42 (p >.001) was not significantly different between the two groups. Anxiety 0.33 (p <.001) and depression 0.34 (p <.001) showed significant differences in the experimental group compared to the control group. Conclusion: Support programs for families and caregivers who care for people with stroke can have a positive effect on their anxiety and depression. This will provide better care for patients when the families and caregivers are physically and mentally stable. Further research is needed to focus on the family and caregivers of stroke patients.