Stroke carers anxious and depressed

Published: 3 April 2001

Research published on the eve of a Royal College of Nursing Research Conference say informal carers of stroke victims pay heavy toll.

Informal carers of stroke victims pay a heavy emotional and physical toll as a result of care-giving according to research by Professor Lorraine Smith and Susan Kerr of the University of Glasgow.

The findings will be announced during the Third International Research Conference of the Royal College of Nursing which runs from 4 to 7 April 2001 at the University of Glasgow.

The research found that a third of carers were experiencing anxiety and a quarter were depressed as a result of the 24-hour, seven-day-a-week caring required of them.

"Our research has uncovered a massive level of unmet need," says nurse research author Susan Kerr, a lecturer in the Nursing and Midwifery School, University of Glasgow. "Nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists have been very concerned by the results, which paint a picture of carers trying very hard without adequate support and resources. Our aim is to establish what can be done to improve the health of these unpaid carers".

This small study of 22 carers in west Scotland was funded by the Scottish Office Department of Health in Scotland and pilots a major two-year study funded by the charity Chest, Heart and Stroke, which will report in 2002.

"The RCN is currently involved in a variety of initiatives to improve the lives of carers of all people who suffer from long term neurological problems," said Sue Thomas, RCN Policy Adviser in Chronic Disease and Disability. "One way that need can be met is through both generalist and specialist nurses who guide carers to appropriate information and advice, thus improving the quality of life of both patients and carers."

Susan Kerr is one of 180 leading nurse researchers from the UK and abroad to present cutting-edge research at the RCN conference, which this year is held in Glasgow to celebrate the 550th anniversary of the University of Glasgow,

"2001 is an exciting time with nurses bringing a unique nursing perspective to more areas of healthcare research than ever before," says Professor Claire Hale, Chair of the RCN Research Society. "Nurse research questions are generated from nursing practice, so we're seeing a strong focus on care rather than cure. This approach complements the traditional medical approach and is essential if we are to improve access to healthcare for vulnerable groups such as unpaid carers, socially excluded young people and people from ethnic minorities".

Further information for journalists can be found at: http://newsdesk.gla.ac.uk/pressreleases

Media Relations Office (media@gla.ac.uk)


Professor Smith can be contacted on 0141 330 5498 l.n.smith@clinmed.gla.ac.uk

The conference is being held in the Thistle Hotel, Cambridge Street, Glasgow and NOT at the University. For further information on the conference please contact the RCN Press Office on 020 7647 3633.

The Research Stroke: An exploration of the needs of informal carers will be presented to the RCN conference on Thursday 5 April.

The RCN Nursing Research Conference programme can be found at

http://www.man.ac.uk/rcn/research2001

First published: 3 April 2001

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