Prevalence of depression and its relationships with handicap, self-esteem and social support in Chinese stroke survivors

Background: A major challenge in stroke rehabilitation is to minimize psychologic morbidity to promote the reintegration of stroke survivors into their family and community. The prevalence of depression among Chinese stroke survivors has been found to range from 17% to 63%, and a clear understanding of this and the factors influencing its outcome helps health care professionals plan effective interventions to minimize such psychologic consequences. Methods: This was a longitudinal study and data were collected from 206 stroke survivors during a period of 6 months after their discharge from 2 rehabilitation hospitals. Data collection took place in either the patient’s home or other discharge destination such as old age home. The majority of patients were male, married, and with a right-side stroke. Results: At 6 months after discharge, 71 (35%) of patients screened positive for depression and was found to be significantly related to handicap (r = –.50), state self-esteem (r = –.75), social support (r = –.62), and functional ability (r = –.30). Those who lived in an old age home were more likely to have mild to severe depression. Regression analysis indicated that handicap, state selfesteem, and social support were predictors of depression and accounted for 63% of the variance. Conclusion: The results highlight the importance of assessing and attending to the psychologic sequelae of stroke to promote successful recovery. This investigation was supported by HK Health Care and Promotion Fund