The Prevalence of Behavioral Risk Factors and Lifestyle Changes after Stroke

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Stroke is a major cause of mortality throughout the world and several studies have reported survival experience following stroke in different populations. This study estimates the prevalence of behavioral risk factor after stroke and explores lifestyle changes. METHOD: The subjects were 529 patients, who were admitted at the Kyung Hee Medical Center from January 2000 to February 2001. Data collection was done through chart reviews, telephone interviews, and mail. Main measures included smoking status, alcohol use, and obesity. Chisquare test and multiple logistic regression were used to determine sociodemographic differences in these measures. RESULTS: At 1 year after stroke, 11.2% of patients still smoked, 31.4% of patients were obese, and 13% drank excessively. Younger patients and patients with high blood pressure were more likely to smoke. Younger patients were more likely to drink excessively. Women, patients with diabetes, and those living in the metropolitan areas were more likely to be obese. CONCLUSION: Different behavioral risk factors were associated with specific sociodemographic groups within the stroke population. After stroke, high-risk groups should continue to be targeted to prevent stroke recurrence.