Stroke survivors’ and informal caregivers’ perceptions of depressive symptoms after stroke: an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study

Abstract Poststroke depression (PSD) is a frequent complication affecting approximately 30% of stroke survivors in the first 24 months after stroke. PSD has been correlated with increases in hospital lengths of stay, hospital costs, increased morbidity and mortality, risk for recurrent stroke at one year, decreased functional outcome, cognitive function, and quality of life post-stroke. Depression among family caregivers of stroke survivors may also negatively influence stroke recovery and stroke survivor quality of life. This explanatory sequential mixed-method study ( n =32 dyads) sought to examine stroke disability, caregiver burden, rurality, prior history of depression, and depressive symptoms after stroke of stroke survivors and the perception of depressive symptoms after stroke from the perspectives of stroke survivors and their caregivers. Following quantitative data collection, 16 participants ( n =9 stroke survivors, n =7 caregivers) completed 1:1 semi-structured interview.Study findings noted a p -value of 0.0397 which suggests there is a significant mean difference in Beck Depression Inventory-Fast Screen (BDI-FS) scores between stroke caregivers who are a spouse/significant other and stroke caregivers who are a family member. There is also robust evidence to suggest a significant mean difference in Beck Depression Inventory-Fast Screen (BDI-FS) score between stroke caregivers who have a prior history of depression and stroke caregivers who do not ( p -value= 0.025). Thematic analysis of qualitative interviews corroborated these results with spouses and significant other caregivers and caregivers with prior history of depression noting increased depressive symptoms upon taking on stroke caregiver role.