A comparison of studies on the quality of life of primary caregivers of stroke survivors: a systematic review of the literature.

Background And Purpose: Few studies have been conducted on the quality of life (QOL) of primary caregivers of stroke survivors (with and without aphasia), with little consistency in the methods of evaluation. The purpose of this systematic review of the literature was to determine the appropriateness of study designs and instruments used to assess QOL in caregivers of stroke survivors.

Method: A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify peer-reviewed articles of caregiver's QOL where CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO databases were searched.

Caregiver strain and caregiver burden of primary caregivers of stroke survivors with and without aphasia.

Little is known about how the burden and strain of caring for stroke patients with or without aphasia affects primary caregivers. This article (a) critically examines the literature on the burden and strain of care experienced by caregivers of stroke patients and (b) examines the relationship between aphasia and caregiver burden and strain. Two literature reviews of three databases were conducted.