Spirituality and recovery after stroke: why the dyad matters?

This invited commentary refers to ‘Associations between dyadic spirituality, caregiver burden, disability, and health-related quality of life in stroke survivor–caregiver dyads: a dyadic structural equation modeling study’, by C. Rago et al., https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjcn/zvag016. Stroke remains the leading cause of death and long-term disability worldwide, with significant implications for both survivors and their caregivers.1,2 Following hospital discharge, many stroke survivors continue to experience functional impairments that require ongoing assistance with daily activities.3,4 During hospitalization, care is largely delivered by health professionals; however, after discharge, responsibility for care typically shifts to informal caregivers, most often family members with limited training. This transition can increase caregivers’ risk of physical, psychological, and social strain.5,6 Recognizing the stroke survivor–caregiver relationship as an interdependent dyad is therefore crucial in post-stroke care.7–9 Emotional distress, stress, coping capacity, or successful adaptation in one member can directly influence the well-being of the other.8 Dyadic analyses can examine how one individual’s coping resources and distress are associated with outcomes in their partner, with important implications for post-stroke care and intervention development.