Determining quality of life and associated factors in patients with stroke

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to examine the overall and domain-specific quality of life in patients with stroke and to identify variables predicting quality of life after stroke. Material and Methods: A total of 104 patients with sufficient cognitive functions having hemiplegia because of cerebrovascular accident and 108 controls were included in this study. Demographic and clinical features were recorded. The Barthel Index (BI) and Functional Ambulation Category scale were employed to assess the functional state of patients. Quality of life was evaluated by the Short Form 36 (SF-36) health survey, whereas the emotional state of the patients was evaluated by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Functional status, motor impairment, and emotional state were determined as independent variables, and multiple regression analysis was used to predict quality of life. Results: Patients had significantly lower scores in the quality of life subscores and total scores in comparison with the controls (p<0.001). The mean anxiety and depression rates in the patients were significantly higher than those in controls (p<0.001). The sum of subscores and physical composite score of SF-36 were significantly lower in female and illiterate patients than in male and educated patients. Multiple regression analyses indicated that HADS depression was associated with mental health (p<0.001), whereas BI was independently associated with the physical health total score (p<0.05). The power of the statistical analysis for study population was 100% according to the given effect size (α=0.01). Conclusion: Present results demonstrated that patients with stroke have a significantly poor quality of life than the general population. The reduced quality of life after stroke appears to be related the emotional state, physical disability, and demographic properties such as gender and education. Therefore, prevention of disability and early diagnosis and treatment of depression are vital in improving the quality of life of patients with stroke.