Investigating the Relationship Between Caregiver Burden and Health Literacy Among Caregivers of Older Adult Stroke Survivors: A Comparison Between Iran and Iraq.

The growing aging population has led to an increasing number of older adults with chronic illnesses such as stroke, placing significant caregiving responsibilities on informal caregivers. However, little is known about how health literacy (HL) affects caregiver burden (CB), particularly in Middle Eastern countries. This study explores the relationship between CB and HL among informal caregivers of older adult stroke survivors in Iran and Iraq. Conducted in 2021 with 300 participants selected through convenience sampling from Ghaem Hospital in Iran and Al-Sadr Hospital in Iraq, data were collected using the Health Literacy Instrument for Adults (HELIA) and the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI). Results indicated that Iranian caregivers experienced higher CB and HL than Iraqi caregivers. A multivariable linear regression analysis showed that CB was significantly associated with HL (β = -.25, p < .01), caregiver age (β = .21, p < .05), and the age of the stroke survivor (β = .18, p < .05), explaining 15% of the variation in CB. Higher HL correlated with lower CB, while older caregiver and patient ages were linked to higher CB. The study concludes that improving HL through educational programs can reduce CB, and health officials should consider demographic factors to enhance caregiver support.