THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PATIENT PROFILE AND CAREGIVER FACTORS AMONGST RECENT STROKE SURVIVORS ADMITTED TO COMMUNITY HOSPITALS IN SINGAPORE

ABSTRACT

Caregivers are important in post-stroke rehabilitation, but little work has been done on the caregivers of stroke survivors in Asian cultures. We examined the association between patient profile (age, gender, socioeconomic status, functional level, religion, and ethnicity) and caregiver availability, number of potential caregivers and primary caregiver identity amongst Singaporean community hospitals' stroke patients. Data was obtained from all Singaporean community hospitals from 1996-2005. 3796 patients fulfilled inclusion criteria. Mixed logistic regression identified independent predictors of caregiver availability and primary caregiver identity. Mixed Poisson modelling identified independent predictors of the number of caregiver(s). Among recent stroke survivors, 95.8% (3640/3796) had potential caregivers, of which 94.2% (3429/3640) had identified primary caregivers. Of the latter, 41.2% relied on live-in hired help (foreign domestic workers-FDWs), 27.6% on spouses and 21.6% on first-degree relatives. Independent patient factors associated with caregiver availability and number were older, female, married, higher socioeconomic status, having a religion and lower functional level at admission. Independent patient factors associated with FDW caregivers were older age, female, Chinese compared to Malay, with higher socioeconomic class and lower functional level at admission. Caregiver availability for post-stroke patients in Singapore community hospitals is relatively high, with heavy dependence on FDWs.