24722045
OBJECTIVE	The goal of this study was to preliminarily test the efficacy of a telephone intervention , Family Intervention : Telephone Tracking , designed to assist stroke survivors and their primary caregivers during the first 6 months after stroke .
METHODS	Forty-nine stroke survivors and their caregivers were randomly assigned to treatment as usual or treatment as usual plus the telephone intervention .
METHODS	Global outcomes are reported for health care utilization , family functioning , and general functioning .
RESULTS	Family and general functioning were positively and significantly changed at 3 and 6 months .
RESULTS	Health care utilization was positively and significantly changed at 3 months .
CONCLUSIONS	Findings suggest that the model has the potential to decrease health care utilization and improve quality of life for stroke survivors and their caregivers .
CONCLUSIONS	Further study is warranted .

