Background and Purpose- Persistent depression after ischemic stroke is common in stroke survivors and may be even higher in family caregivers, but few studies have examined depressive symptom levels and their predictors in patient and caregiver groups simultaneously. Methods- Stroke survivors and their family caregivers (205 dyads) were enrolled from the national REGARDS study (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke) into the CARES study (Caring for Adults Recovering from the Effects of Stroke) ≈9 months after a first-time ischemic stroke. Demographically matched stroke-free dyads (N=205) were also enrolled. Participants were interviewed by telephone, and depressive symptoms were assessed with the 20-item Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale. Results- Significant elevations in depressive symptoms (Ps<0.03) were observed for stroke survivors (M=8.38) and for their family caregivers (M=6.42) relative to their matched controls (Ms=5.18 and 4.62, respectively). Stroke survivors reported more symptoms of depression than their caregivers (P=0.008). No race or sex differences were found, but differential prediction of depressive symptom levels was found across patients and caregivers. Younger age and having an older caregiver were associated with more depressive symptoms in stroke survivors while being a spouse caregiver and reporting fewer positive aspects of caregiving were associated with more depressive symptoms in caregivers. The percentage of caregivers at risk for clinically significant depression was lower in this population-based sample (12%) than in previous studies of caregivers from convenience or clinical samples. Conclusions- High depressive symptom levels are common 9 months after first-time ischemic strokes for stroke survivors and family caregivers, but rates of depressive symptoms at risk for clinical depression were lower for caregivers than previously reported. Predictors of depression differ for patients and caregivers, and standards of care should incorporate family caregiving factors.

中文翻译：

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缺血性中风后的抑郁症状：基于人群的患者和护理人员与匹配对照的比较。

背景和目的——缺血性中风后持续性抑郁在中风幸存者中很常见，在家庭照顾者中可能更高，但很少有研究同时检查患者和照顾者组的抑郁症状水平及其预测因素。方法 - 中风幸存者及其家庭照顾者（205 对）从国家 REGARDS 研究（中风的地理和种族差异的原因）中招募到 CARES 研究（照顾从中风影响中恢复的成年人）约 9 个月后- 时间缺血性中风。还招募了人口统计学匹配的无中风二人组 (N=205)。通过电话采访参与者，并使用 20 项流行病学研究中心抑郁量表评估抑郁症状。结果 - 抑郁症状显着升高（Ps<0. 03) 观察到中风幸存者 (M=8.38) 和他们的家庭照顾者 (M=6.42) 相对于他们的匹配对照（分别为 Ms=5.18 和 4.62）。中风幸存者报告的抑郁症状比他们的照顾者多（P = 0.008）。没有发现种族或性别差异，但在患者和护理人员之间发现了对抑郁症状水平的不同预测。中风幸存者的年龄较小和有年长的照顾者与更多的抑郁症状相关，而作为配偶照顾者和报告较少积极的照顾方面与照顾者更多的抑郁症状相关。在这个基于人群的样本中，有临床显着抑郁风险的护理人员的百分比 (12%) 低于先前从便利或临床样本中对护理人员进行的研究。结论 - 中风幸存者和家庭照料者在首次缺血性卒中后 9 个月内，高抑郁症状水平很常见，但对照料者而言，有临床抑郁风险的抑郁症状发生率低于先前报告的水平。抑郁症的预测因素因患者和护理人员而异，护理标准应包括家庭护理因素。