March 29, 2007

A traumatic brain injury causes tremendous levels of stress on family caregivers, a U.S. study found.

What’s more, several studies published in the April special issue of the journal NeuroRehabilitation explain that in spite of growing evidence of family distress after a brain injury, intervention strategies have lagged.

Guest editor Angelle M. Sander of Baylor College of Medicine/Harris County Hospital District in Houston says the research provides sufficient evidence of the need to develop well-designed intervention studies.

One study found black and Hispanic caregivers experienced distress levels similar to those of white caregivers, but black and Hispanic caregivers tend to make greater use of distancing as a coping strategy, and tended to have more traditional caregiver ideology — that caring for a loved one with injury is an obligation.

Sander was also surprised interventions for caregivers of patients with dementia and chronic illnesses were lacking.

Source: UPI