Impact of Health-Related Social Needs on Caregiver Burden Among Informal Care Partners of Stroke Survivors: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Stroke survivors often rely on informal care partners (ICPs), who commonly experience caregiver burden (CB) across multiple domains. Although CB has been widely studied, many interventions remain ineffective, potentially due to a limited understanding of how social needs shape ICP experiences. Health-related social needs (HRSNs), such as food insecurity, transportation barriers, and lack of support, may contribute significantly to CB but remain largely unexamined in stroke care partnership research. METHODS: This exploratory cross-sectional study examined the relationship between 12 HRSN domains and both total and domain-specific CB among ICPs of stroke survivors. A sample of 81 ICPs from the United States was recruited through social media and stroke support groups. Participants completed a demographic survey, the Accountable Health Communities HRSN Screening Tool, and the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI). Descriptive statistics, independent-samples t -tests, and stepwise multiple linear regressions were conducted using SPSS v29. RESULTS: Nearly all HRSNs domains were associated with significantly higher CB scores. Stepwise regression identified 3 significant predictors of total CB: transportation needs, family and community support needs, and education (adjusted R 2 =0.374, P <0.001). Additional HRSNs emerged as predictors of specific CB domains. Mental health needs predicted both physical and developmental burden, while utility needs predicted emotional burden, for example. Race did not significantly moderate any observed relationships. Reliability of the CBI and its subscales was strong (α=0.822 to 0.952). CONCLUSION: Findings demonstrate that HRSNs significantly contribute to the CB experienced by ICPs of stroke survivors, highlighting actionable HRSNs. Incorporating structured HRSN screening into stroke aftercare may inform more responsive, equitable approaches to CB reduction and support the development of socially informed clinical pathways.