Patient-caregiver differences and dyad concordance towards psychosocial impacts of stroke

Are patient-caregiver dyads concordant when applying to stroke psychosocial impacts ? Methods: Two questionnaires administered two years poststroke in Luxemburg to 62
patients and their 62 natural caregivers include 15 common items assessing psychosocial
impacts of stroke on both patients and caregivers. We (1) compare these impacts of stroke on
patients and caregivers, and (2) use paired analysis of the concordance in responses within
dyads. Findings: Patients feel ashamed, more often than caregivers imagine (11.3% vs. 3.2%*). Patients perceive less often than caregivers an upheaval in their couple (19.4% vs. 38.7%*), and preponderance of psychological difficulties (41.9% vs. 69.4%**). Loss of friends (90.7% convergent vs. 9.3% divergent*), social life (75% vs. 25%*) and family upheavals (76.8% vs. 23.2%*) are concordant subjects within dyads, contrary to feeling undervalued (62.8% vs. 37.2%; ns) and bonds’ strengthening (81.5% vs. 18.5%; ns). Discussion: Improving communication about feelings within patient-caregiver dyads may enhance their social capital as a health capability.