Relationship between caregiver preparedness and adults attachment among the spouse of young and middle-aged stroke patients

Abstract

Objective To investigate the status of caregiver preparedness and adult attachment among the spouse of young and middle-aged stroke patients, and to analyze the correlation between them. Methods From January 2017 to May 2018, 110 spouses of stroke patients who were treated in Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine were selected as subjects by convenience sampling. The General Information Questionnaire, Care Preparedness Scale (CPS) , and Experience in Close Relationship Scale (ECR) were used in the survey. Totally 110 questionnaires were distributed, and 102 valid ones were retrieved, yielding an effective recovery rate of 92.73%. Results The total CPS score of 102 young and middle-aged stroke patients was (12.87±5.39) . The scores of attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance in ECR were (57.96 ±11.69) and (48.06 ±12.10) . There were statistically significant differences in the scores of preparedness of caregivers among spouse caregivers of different ages, self reported health status and nursing experience (P<0.05) . Attachment anxiety dimension was negatively correlated with caregiver preparedness score (r=-0.318, P<0.01) , and attachment avoidance dimension was negatively correlated with caregiver preparedness score (r=-0.233, P<0.01) . Conclusions The preparedness status of the spouses caregivers of young and middle-aged stroke patients are at a low level. Medical workers can improve their care preparedness by giving them home care knowledge guidance, reducing their attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety so as to improve their preparedness. Key words: Stroke; Young and middle-aged; Spouse; Caregiver preparedness; Adults attachment