Status of emotional-social loneliness in patients with acute cerebral infarction and the related factors analysis

Abstract

Objective To explore the status of emotional-social loneliness including emotional isolation, social isolation, emotional and social loneliness in patients with acute cerebral infraction, and to analyze the related factors. Methods A total of 122 patients with acute cerebral infraction admitted to the neurology department of 5 third-grade class-A hospitals from Jan.2017 to Oct.2017 were enrolled.Data was collected by self-reported questionnaires including patients' general data and the emotional-social loneliness questionnaire data. Results Among 122 patients with acute cerebral infraction, emotional isolation, social isolation, emotional loneliness and social loneliness were found in 48 cases(39.3%), 60 cases(49.2%), 40 cases(32.8%)and 36 cases(29.5%), respectively.The total average score for emotional isolation, social isolation, emotional loneliness and social loneliness were 8.3±5.2, 8.6±5.1, 7.5±6.1, and 7.4±5.5, respectively.The scores for emotional-social loneliness were associated with education level, monthly family income, occupations and the emotion state before disease, and were not associated with gender, marriage status and stroke history. Conclusions The prevalence of emotional-social loneliness is high in patients with acute cerebral infraction.Especially careful attention should be paid to patients with higher education level and retired with monthly family income ≥5 000 RMB. Key words: Brain infraction; Mood disorders; Social isolation; Loneliness