To explore the change regulation of periodical needs of main caregivers during transition period from being admitted to hospital to home among patients with initial stroke in 9 hospitals in Shanghai Pudong New Area and to analyze the reasons.

From May 2017 to January 2018, we selected 1 200 initial stroke patients and 1 200 main caregivers of them in 9 hospitals of Shanghai Pudong New Area as subjects by convenience sampling. The Family Needs Questionnaire (FNQ) was used to investigate the change of needs of them on admission, at discharge and two weeks after discharge. A total of 1 200 questionnaires were sent out and 1 089 valid questionnaires were collected.

Among 1 089 main caregivers of initial stroke patients, the scores of importance of total demand on admission, at discharge and two weeks after discharge were (3.44±0.77) , (3.24±0.82) and (3.01±0.71) respectively with statistical differences (P<0.05) . At different stages, the need for health information and need for professional support were two dimensions with the high importance of care need of main caregivers among initial stroke patients; the stage with the highest satisfaction with the total demand was at discharge; the items with high rates of no satisfaction with needs included "to be shown that my opinions are used in planning the treatment" "to have enough resource for myself" and "to be shown what to do when the patient is upset" on admission, at discharge and two weeks after discharge.

The importance of total demand of main caregivers of initial stroke patients decreases with the increasing of disease course on admission, at discharge and two weeks after discharge. The need satisfaction is high at the stage of discharge and is low after discharge. Medical staff should strengthen the family follow-up.

Stroke; Initial; Main caregiver; Periodical needs; Status analysis