STUDY ON QUALITY OF LIFE OF POST STROKE SURVIVORS BY  WHOQOL-BREF SCALE

Abstract

Objective: To examine overall and domain-specific quality of life in stroke survivors after 3 months and to identify variables that predict quality of life after stroke. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive correlational designing on 190 stroke survivors who were interviewed to 3 months after stroke. Quality of life was measured with the use of the WHOQOL-BREF which have 26-item instrument consisting of four domains: physical health (7 items), psychological health (6 items), social relationships (3 items) and environmental health (8 items); and two overall QOL and general health items. Multiple regression analysis was used to predict quality of life. Results: 79.5% percent of subjects scored in the depressed range which the mean of BECK scale was 20.48 ± 7.24. The mean of quality of life score in all domains were low comparable to that of a normal range. There was a significantly difference in the overall quality of life, general health, psychological health, social relationships and environmental health between the groups patient with and without depression. There was not the relationship between the WHOQOL-BREF in all domains with age, Glasgow scale, NIHSS scale, mRankin scale. Age and total BECK scale were the independent factor predicting the low quality of life in post stroke patient after 3 months by analysing the multiple regression. Conclusions: The identification of depression and age as predictors of quality of life suggests the need to assist stroke survivors in maintaining and strengthening their support systems. Key words: Cerebrovascular Disorders, depression, quality of life