Trajectories of positive aspects of caregiving among family caregivers of stroke-survivors: the differential impact of stroke-survivor disability.

Abstract

Objective To delineate positive aspects of caregiving trajectories among family caregivers of stroke-survivors and determine the impact of stroke-survivor disability, a time-varying factor, on the delineated trajectories. Methods In a longitudinal study, family caregivers of 173 stroke-survivors in Singapore were administered the Positive Aspects of Caregiving scale (PAC scale) thrice (baseline/3 months/6 months). Group-based trajectory modeling delineated positive aspects of caregiving trajectories and identified the impact of stroke-survivor disability on the trajectories. Results Two distinct positive aspects of caregiving trajectories, Persistently Low and Persistently High were delineated. Increase in stroke-survivor disability was associated with a significant downward shift (reduction in positive aspects of caregiving) of the Persistently Low trajectory and a significant upward shift (increase in positive aspects of caregiving) of the Persistently High trajectory. Older caregivers were more likely to follow the Persistently High trajectory. Conclusions Care professionals should be mindful of the heterogeneity in the longitudinal pattern of positive feelings resulting from care provision among family caregivers of stroke-survivors, and the differential impact of stroke-survivor disability on the pattern of positive feelings. Younger caregivers as well as family caregivers who have low positive feelings at the start of their caregiver journey and experience worsening functional disability of their care recipient (stroke-survivor) require greater attention and support.

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Citation

Published Version (Please cite this version)

10.1080/10749357.2018.1455369

Publication Info

Malhotra, Rahul, Choy-Lye Chei, Edward Balan Menon, Wai-Leng Chow, Stella Quah, Angelique Chan, Shweta Ajay, David Bruce Matchar, et al. (2018). Trajectories of positive aspects of caregiving among family caregivers of stroke-survivors: the differential impact of stroke-survivor disability. Topics in stroke rehabilitation, 25(4). pp. 261–268. 10.1080/10749357.2018.1455369 Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/22802.

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Matchar

David Bruce Matchar

Professor of Medicine

My research relates to clinical practice improvement - from the development of clinical policies to their implementation in real world clinical settings. Most recently my major content focus has been cerebrovascular disease. Other major clinical areas in which I work include the range of disabling neurological conditions, cardiovascular disease, and cancer prevention.
Notable features of my work are: (1) reliance on analytic strategies such as meta-analysis, simulation, decision analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis; (2) a balancing of methodological rigor the needs of medical professionals; and (3) dependence on interdisciplinary groups of experts.
This approach is best illustrated by the Stroke Prevention Patient Outcome Research Team (PORT), for which I served as principal investigator. Funded by the AHCPR, the PORT involved 35 investigators at 13 institutions. The Stroke PORT has been highly productive and has led to a stroke prevention project funded as a public/private partnership by the AHCPR and DuPont Pharma, the Managing Anticoagulation Services Trial (MAST). MAST is a practice improvement trial in 6 managed care organizations, focussing on optimizing anticoagulation for individuals with atrial fibrillation.
I serve as consultant in the general area of analytic strategies for clinical policy development, as well as for specific projects related to stroke (e.g., acute stroke treatment, management of atrial fibrillation, and use of carotid endarterectomy.) I have worked with AHCPR (now AHRQ), ACP, AHA, AAN, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, NSA, WHO, and several pharmaceutical companies.
Key Words: clinical policy, disease management, stroke, decision analysis, clinical guidelines


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