Biopsychosocial intervention for stroke carers (BISC): results of a feasibility randomised controlled trial and nested qualitative interview study.
Marion F Walker, Sheila Birchall, Christine Cobley and 10 others
PMID 32567356WHAT IT FOUND
A biopsychosocial intervention for stroke carers was feasible but not tested for efficacy.
Carers valued peer support and flexibility, but struggled to attend group sessions due to competing demands. One-to-one delivery had better attendance.
Key findings
01The study was a feasibility trial designed to test if the intervention could be delivered, not to determine if it improved health outcomes.
02Carers in the intervention group attended an average of three group sessions, with non-attendance primarily caused by difficulties balancing caring duties, work, and childcare.
03Participants reported that the emotional validation and peer support from sharing experiences with other carers was a key benefit of the intervention.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was a feasibility trial, so it did not test whether the intervention actually works to improve health outcomes. Recruitment was difficult, with a low consent rate (16%) and significant dropouts before randomisation. The sample was small (35 dyads) and from a single centre, limiting generalisability. Attendance at group sessions was low, which may reflect a lack of practical support or inconvenient timing rather than a lack of interest in the content. Outcome measures showed improvements in both groups, likely reflecting natural recovery, making it hard to attribute any benefit to the intervention itself.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (Research for Patient Benefit Programme). The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the improvements in carer wellbeing or the high acceptability as evidence that the BISC intervention is effective. The study was not powered or designed to test efficacy, and both the intervention and control groups improved, likely due to natural recovery over the six-month period.