Pain, depression and anxiety in patients after stroke

Abstract

Background: Pain, fear, depression often accompany patients as complications after stroke. They can usually take the shape of patients’ defensive reaction, who must struggle with physical and psychical consequences of stroke. Degree of those feelings’ intensity and the reactions related to them are indi-vidual for every patient.Aim of the study: The aim of the research was to determine the effect of post-stroke pain on the daily functioning of the patient and determine whether anxiety and depression determine the effects of treatment and return to activities of daily living after stroke.Material and methods: Research instruments were: an author’s questionnaire and the research scales (SOPL, Lawton’s IADL Scale, Katz Index and Doloplus Pain Scale). The study sample consisted of 31 patients from the Rehabilitation Department in Saint Roch Hospital in Ozimek. The research was carried out from October 2013 to March 2014. Results: The feeling of the fear and depressed appeared among 41.93% (13) patients and it was in the limit of normality. Symptoms of depression appeared among 6% (2) of respondents. The pain occurred among 90% (28) of patients, however, in the opinion of the patients did not constitute a serious obstacle to the continuation of the rehabilitation and daily functioning. The Katz Index revealed that 58% (18) of the patients did not need help with basic activities of daily life.Conclusions: Pain, anxiety, and depression had no significant effect on the course of the rehabilitation of patients in the study group. The pain did not decrease significantly physical activity. Potential problems with the daily functioning of patients through the process of rehabilitation, have been largely eliminated.