Abstract:

Objective To understand and describe the process of caregivers’ involvement in the self-care of stroke survivors, and to provide references for developing more targeted stroke survivor and caregiver dyadic self-care intervention programs. Methods A descriptive research method was used and the research team conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 stroke caregivers from October 2021 to December 2021. The data were analyzed by directional content analysis. Results Three themes were extracted：1) helplessness of caregivers in participating in patient self-care and maintenance; 2) caregivers’ indifference in participating in patient self-care monitoring; and 3) benefits of caregivers in participating in patient self-care management. Conclusion While caregivers make significant contributions to promoting patient self-care maintenance, monitoring, and management, they also encounter numerous obstacles and are in urgent need of external support. Future research should focus on understanding the facilitators and barriers perceived by stroke caregivers in their involvement in the self-care process. Furthermore, targeted dyadic self-care interventions for patients and caregivers should be developed to promote favorable health outcomes for both parties.

Key words: Stroke, Self-care, Caregiver, Contribution, Experience, Descriptive qualitative study