Course of social support and relationships between social support and life satisfaction in spouses of patients with stroke in the chronic phase.

Objective: To describe the course of social support in spouses of patients with stroke, and to examine direct and indirect relationships between social support and life satisfaction over time.

Methods: Prospective cohort study (N=180) with measurements at 2 months after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, 1 year, and 3 years after stroke. Social support was assessed using the Social Support List-12, Life satisfaction with the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (LiSat-9) and Caregiver strain with the Caregiver Strain Index. Random coefficient analyses was used.

Results: Total social support and the 3 subtypes of social support decreased significantly over time. In all models, caregiver strain was associated with lower life satisfaction and social support was associated with higher life satisfaction, but there were no interaction effects between caregiver strain and social support on life satisfaction.

Conclusion: Spouses of patients with stroke experienced a decline of social support over time. Social support was positively associated with life satisfaction, regardless of the amount of caregiver strain experienced by the spouses.

Practice Implications: It is important to discuss with caregivers of stroke patients the importance of maintaining their own social contacts and to facilitate this by arranging support if appropriate.