Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Telephone Assessment and Skill-Building Intervention for Stroke Caregivers
Brief Summary: The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of the revised Telephone Assessment and Skill-Building Kit (TASK II) compared with an Information, Support, and Referral (ISR) intervention in family caregivers of stroke survivors. We will also test if TASK II intervention effects on primary outcomes (depressive symptoms, caregiving-related negative life changes, unhealthy days) are mediated through effects on secondary outcomes (task difficulty, optimism, threat appraisal). Comparative costs and outcomes for the TASK II and ISR interventions will also be explored.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

1. Adult men and women, \> 18 years of age
2. Resident of Karachi and planning to live in Karachi to complete long term follow up
3. Able to understand Urdu (language of the videos)
4. Admitted with first ever stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic)
5. Modified Rankin score \<3 ( Mild strokes)
6. Have at least one vascular risk factor that requires medical intervention
7. Consent to participate in the study and follow up, both stroke and caregiver.
8. Have a stable surrogate caregiver at home who is responsible for appointments, follow-ups, overall care, e.g., wife, daughters, daughter- in- law, etc.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Serious aphasia, visual hemi neglect, short term memory loss in the patient precluding understanding, visualization or retention of the video material, despite overall "a small stroke", this would be a cognitively critical stroke.
2. Serious aphasia, visual hemi neglect, short term memory loss, dementia in the caregiver precluding understanding, visualization or retention of the video material.
3. Iatrogenic stroke, stroke due to non-atherosclerotic vascular disease and rare causes e.g. moya moya, carotid dissections, gunshot to neck, post Coronary Artery Bypass surgery etc.
4. Serious concurrent medical illnesses, like cancer, renal failure, acute liver disease in past 6 months (that precludes use of statins), chronic liver disease, that exclude the use of stroke preventive medications, or require non standardized therapy.
5. Any use of off label, non-guideline medications, due to patient unique comorbid conditions that interfere with medication compliance to antihypertensive, statins, antiplatelet agents and diabetes control.
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* Primary caregiver (unpaid family member or significant other) of a stroke survivor
* No more than 8 weeks after survivor discharged home
* Plans to be providing care for 1 year or longer
* Access to a telephone
* Willingness to participate in 9 calls from a nurse and 5 data collection interviews at designated study time points

Exclusion Criteria:

* Caregiver or survivor age \< 21 years
* Caregiver denies that survivor has had a stroke
* Caregiver does not consider him or herself a caregiver, stating that the survivor is not impaired or is the same as before the stroke
* Caregiver has low task difficulty (OCBS task difficulty score \< 16)
* Caregiver communication difficulties (e.g., hearing loss)
* Caregiver not fluent in the English language
* Caregiver 6-item MMSE score less than 4
* Survivor residing in a nursing home or long-term care facility
* Survivor or caregiver has a terminal illness (e.g., cancer, end of life condition with decreased life expectancy, renal failure requiring dialysis)
* Survivor or caregiver history of hospitalization for alcohol or drug abuse
* Survivor or caregiver history of severe mental illness (e.g., Alzheimer's, dementia, suicidal tendencies, severe untreated depression or manic depressive disorder, schizophrenia)
* Survivor or caregiver pregnancy
* Survivor or caregiver is a prisoner or on house arrest
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* Subjects aged 40 years or older.
* Patients with a clinical diagnosis of stroke; symptoms lasting 24 hours or more.
* Computed tomography (CT)-scan of the brain must either show a new infarct or be normal. Patients only with infarcts without clinical symptoms cannot be included.
* Inclusion shall take place before day 90 after stroke onset.
* Informed consent after verbal and written information.
* The patient must be able to walk either unaided or with a cane or a walker.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients who are unable to understand the information, or who cannot cooperate, are excluded.
* Patients confined to a wheelchair or bed.
* CT-scanning showing intracranial haemorrhage or focal pathology other than infarction, cerebral atrophy, or leucoaraiosis.
* Modified Rankin score of 4 or 5 before the actual stroke.
* Serious medical disease such as AIDS, metastatic cancer, or abnormalities that the investigator feels may compromise the patient's successful participation in the trial.
* Earlier randomisation in this trial.
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients over 60 years of age
* Patients who have had a first stroke, transient or permanent, ischaemic or haemorrhagic, justifying hospitalisation
* Patients with high blood pressure already treated or discovered at the time of the stroke and justifying the start of a treatment
* Patients who have had a stroke with sequelae allowing immediate return home or justifying a stay of less than one month in rehabilitation
* Patient having a member of his social circle who has agreed to provide follow-up for two years in association with the assigned nursing personnel in case of randomisation into the "optimised follow-up" group.

Exclusion criteria

* Patients less than 60 years of age
* Patients with a history of stroke
* Patients who do not have high blood pressure discovered by a treatment prior to the stroke or by abnormal blood pressure figures during hospitalisation
* Patients who have had a stroke causing serious sequelae, justifying an extended stay in a rehabilitation department
* Patient who has no one in his social circle capable of working with the assigned nursing personnel, or patient living in an institution

Answer: B