DUGi

La qualitat de vida dels pacients amb ictus i dels seus cuidadors informals: revisió bibliogràfica

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Background: Stroke is a neurological disease that represents the third cause of death in the western countries. The different clinical features and consequences that produces, interfere with the Quality of Life (QoL) of the patients that have suffered the Stroke and, also of the informal caregivers who assume the assistance at home. The Stroke involves an adaptation to a new situation for the daily life of the patient and his surroundings, which are determined by different QoL aspects. Aim: To study the available evidence, published in the last five years, on the QoL of the patients who have suffered a Stroke and their caregivers. Methodology: Bibliographic Review. Databases which have been consulted are Medline – Pubmed, Cuiden, Cochrane Library Plus, and Cochrane Library. A total of 20 articles published in the mentioned databases, have been reviewed. The QoL aspects were the physical health, the mental health, the protective factors of the QoL, the predictor factors of decrease of the QoL, the interventions for the improvement of the QoL, the implications of the health services in relation to the QoL and the implications in the QoL of the caregivers. Results: It have been included 20 articles in the review, which 3 are systematic reviews, 2 clinical trials, 5 longitudinal studies, 7 transversal studies and 3 bibliographic reviews. The analysis of the different QoL aspects has shown that in the physical health, the pain is related with worse estimations of QoL and the mental health problems (depression, in the majority of the cases) are common after Stroke. The factors significantly related with a decrease of QoL are the age, the previous Stroke, the severity and the functional state. In the evaluation of the treatment administered, the majority of the patients (96’6%) are satisfied with the treatment received. The caregivers QoL after a Stroke is related with the functional and emotional state of the patient, the age and state of health of the caregiver. Several authors expose that the caregivers need more education to take care of their relatives. Conclusions: The patients and caregivers QoL are more affected from the hospital discharge. The evaluation of the perceived health at the 3 months of the Stroke could determine the prognosis of evolution on a long-term basis, moreover, the acute clinical therapy, has consequences in the QoL. The informal caregivers accomplish the majority of hours and cares after the discharge. The patient functionality determines significantly the caregivers QoL. Knowing the patients and caregivers QoL related factors can let nurses to develop hospital and community interventional programmes