The relationship between the level of knowledge in the field of pro-health procedures and the quality of life in people after stroke

Abstract

Introduction: Nowadays, international organisations such as WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA support a holistic approach towards an individual, aimed at solving life problems, which is missing from educational prevention programmes. At first, the level of knowledge in the individuals should be defined in order to adjust the information concerning an ailment to educational needs. The overall and neurological state of the individual affected by stroke very frequently does not allow to convey much knowledge. Knowledge on stroke results in decreased incidence, which explains the necessity to raise awareness of risk factors for stroke. The aim: The aim of the research was to establish a connection between the level of knowledge of the ailment in people affected by stroke and their quality of life. Material and methods: The research included 279 people after stroke. Their quality of life was assessed using a shortened version of the WHOQOL-Bref questionnaire. In order to assess the level of knowledge of health-supporting actions after stroke, an indicator of knowledge was created. Results: The strongest dependence in the somatic (DOM1), social (DOM3) and environmental fields (DOM4) was observed in the group of people between 13 and 24 months after falling ill. The strongest dependence in the psychological field (DOM2) was observed in the group of people between 6 and 12 months after the incident. Conclusion: The level of health-supporting knowledge in people affected by stroke is not satisfactory. A higher level of knowledge results in a higher quality of life.