Objective:

To compare the psychological burden of informal caregivers of patients with earthquake-related dependency and those caring for patients with stroke-related dependency following the 6 February 2023 Türkiye–Syria earthquakes.

Approach:

Key Findings:

• Caregiver burden was significantly higher among male caregivers (p=0.026).
• Caregivers of patients with earthquake-related dependency reported receiving external support more frequently than caregivers of stroke patients (p=0.004).
• Overall caregiving was perceived as a moderate burden in both groups.
• No significant differences in depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and hopelessness levels between the groups (p=0.172, p=0.172, p=0.834).
• PTSD symptoms and caregiver burden among stroke caregivers showed moderate positive correlations with depression, anxiety, and hopelessness (all p<0.05).
• In earthquake-related dependency caregivers, caregiver burden was associated only with hopelessness (p=0.045).

Interpretation:

Informal caregivers of patients with earthquake-related and stroke-related dependency experienced comparable levels of psychological distress, despite differences in caregiving context and disaster-related adversity.

Limitations:

• The study is limited to a single-center, cross-sectional design.
• The sample size may not be representative of all informal caregivers in the affected regions.

Conclusion:

The higher frequency of external support among caregivers of patients with earthquake-related dependency may be associated with comparable psychological outcomes.

Attribution Notice

This content is an AI-generated, fully rewritten summary based on a published scholarly article. It does not reproduce the original text and is not a substitute for the original publication. Readers are encouraged to consult the source for full context, data, and methodology.