The Relationship between Activities of Daily Living and Cognitive Function, Anxiety, Stress, Depression in Stroke Patients

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between activities of daily living (ADL) dependence and psychological parameters in the adult hemiplegic stroke patients. METHODS: The subjects were total 122 stroke patients who underwent rehabilitation therapy. Patients were surveyed with questionnaires for anxiety, stress, and depression. Cognitive functions were assessed by mini-mental status examination and their ADL functions were evaluated by modified Barthel index. The correlation between ADL function and psychological parameters was statistically analyzed by Pearson's correlation test. RESULTS: Results were as follows The average stress score of stroke patients was 76.7 which was relatively high. Fourty-seven percent of stroke patients suffered from depression, and it was more frequent in the left hemiplegics. As the result of the Pearson's correlation test, ADL function is closely correlated with intrapersonal stress level, but not with the level of anxiety or depression. The cognitive function has correlation with intrapersonal stress level, but not with depression. CONCLUSION: Understanding of the relationship between psychological status and ADL function in the stroke patients will be helpful to the physician for conducting efficient rehabilitation of these patients.