The Burden of the Stroke Caregivers in the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Short Review

Stroke is the third leading cause of adult disability and mortality in Malaysia. During the COVID-19 pandemic, delivering care to many stroke survivors may lead to poorer caregivers’ mental and physical health. The social burden among stroke caregivers may be compromised when the social connection in a pandemic is limited. This review article discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on stroke caregivers’ lives in terms of various burden (e.g., physical, psychological, developmental, social), with time demand intersected in these aspects. The roles of sociodemographic factors and social connection in contributing to these burden were also discussed. A conceptual framework which illustrates the interrelationships between various sociodemographic variables and different aspects of social connections, and their links to caregivers’ burden (especially in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic) was put forward for future empirical investigations.