BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Stroke is a chronic condition that necessitates multidimentional and comprehensive care. The caregivers of stroke patients are faced with various stressors that can threaten different aspects of their health , especially their mental health. Knowledge of the spiritual attitude of family caregivers of elder with stroke can provide effective strategies in this regard. Given the importance of the subject and the lack of study in this topic, the researchers decided to conduct a study to determine spiritual attitude of family caregivers in elder with stroke.
METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 407 family caregivers of elder patients with stroke, referred to the health care centers and nursing service companies of eastern of Gilan province in Iran in 2016. The participants were selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using the demographic questionnaires and spiritual attitude scale and were then analyzed in SSPS 18 through descriptive and analytical statistics at significant level of p=0.05.
FINDINGS: The results showed that 88.9% of the caregivers were female. The mean age of the participants was 38.8±8.8 years. Totally, 45.7% of persons were unmarried, 65.6% were housewives, 96.6% were under diploma and diploma and 67.3% of family caregivers lived in private homes. The mean caregiving duration was 4.2±2.5 years. The findings indicated that the mean score of spiritual attitude was 108.77±6.20. Moreover, 22.9, 49.3 and 27.8% of participants had low or unfavorable, moderate or relatively desirable and high or favorable spiritual attitude, respectively.
CONCLUSION: The results suggested that the spiritual attitude was moderate and relatively favorable in majority of family caregivers. Providing strategies for improving spirituality as important factor in family caregivers adapting can improve elder caring and caregivers’ health.
Type of Study:
Research |
Subject:
General Received: 2020/02/4 | Accepted: 2020/02/24 | Published: 2020/03/10