Article

OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of anxiety on health-related quality of life
(HRQOL) of stroke survivors. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Acute stroke
unit in a regional hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Patients (N=374) from an acute stroke
unit. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The presence of
anxiety was defined as a score of >/=8 on the anxiety subscale of the Hospital
Anxiety Depression Scale. HRQOL was measured by the total score and 12 domain
scores of the Stroke Specific Quality of Life (SSQOL) scale. Demographic
characteristics and history of medical conditions were also recorded. Clinical
characteristics were obtained using the following scales: National Institutes of
Health Stroke Scale, Barthel Index, Mini-Mental State Examination, and Geriatric
Depression Scale (GDS). RESULTS: Eighty-six (23%) stroke survivors had anxiety.
The anxiety group had significantly more women (62.8% vs 35.1%), higher GDS
scores (7.5+/-4.5 vs 3.5+/-3.6), and lower scores for total SSQOL (3.9+/-0.6 vs
4.5+/-0.6) and SSQOL domains of energy (2.0+/-1.2 vs 3.4+/-1.4), mood (3.6+/-1.5
vs 4.6+/-0.9), personality (3.4+/-1.7 vs 4.4+/-1.1), and thinking (2.4+/-1.2 vs
3.5+/-1.4), after adjustment for sex and GDS score. In subsequent multivariate
regression analysis, the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale anxiety score was
negatively associated with the SSQOL total score (r=-.154)
and 5 of the 12 domain
scores, namely energy (r=-.29), mood (r=-.102), personality (r=-.195), thinking
(r=-.136), and work/productivity (r=-.096). CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety has a negative
effect on HRQOL of stroke survivors, independent from depression. Interventions
for anxiety should improve stroke survivors' quality of life.
CI - Copyright (c) 2013 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS