Factors Predicting Financial Burden Among Family Caregivers of Dependent Stroke Survivors in Selected Tertiary Care Hospitals: A Study From Thailand
Surachet Boonchokanan, Sirirat Leelacharas, Jiraporn LiningerIntroduction
Stroke is a neurological disease that leads to severe morbidity and mortality globally. Family caregivers are directly impacted by patients who have a stroke, especially regarding financial burdens.
Objectives
To describe and examine factors predicting family caregivers’ financial burden, using the bidirectional relationship concept developed by Isik and colleagues (2019) as a guiding model to build a new framework for Thai family caregivers.
Methods
A cross-sectional study with a predictive-correlational design was employed. Using a purposive sampling technique, 124 eligible family caregivers of dependent stroke survivors were recruited from two governmental tertiary care hospitals (Thailand). However, only 120 family caregivers were included after 4 extreme outliers were removed. The questionnaires comprised demographic information, illness perceptions, social support, financial management, non-medical costs, and family caregivers’ financial burden. Descriptive and correlational and multiple regression (MR) analyses were used to analyse data.
Results
The MR analysis revealed the model’s overall fit: F(7,112) = 27.185, p < 0.01. Age, educational level, family caregivers’ income, social support, and family caregivers’ financial management could help predict the financial burden for family caregivers of dependent stroke survivors, explaining 60.6% of the variance. Financial management was the most robust predictor of financial burden for family caregivers (β = 0.449; p < .01).
Conclusion
Family caregivers’ financial burden in dependent stroke survivors is an important focus. The findings suggested that hospital administrators and healthcare providers should prepare and tailor financial programs and support systems. Policymakers should also consider these factors when developing social welfare policies to mitigate the long-term financial burden on family caregivers. Nurses in Thailand still remain a valuable source of social support for family caregivers, helping them manage health concerns and reduce financial burdens.