Associated factors of post-stroke depression among Hong Kong Chinese: A longitudinal study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore associated factors of post-stroke depression (PSD) among Chinese first-time stroke patients. A 6-month prospective design was adopted with data collected by face-to-face interviews and physical assessment at two observation time points: T1, within 48 h of admission to the rehabilitation hospitals and T2, 6 months after the first interview in the subject's current place of residence. The prevalence of PSD at T1 and T2 was found to be 69% and 48% respectively. Backward linear regression showed that five variables explained 55% of the variance of PSD at T2. Participants who had a higher level of depression at T2 tended to have a higher level of functional disability, less social companionship and poorer informational support. Those who had been homemaker at pre-morbid state and those who exhibited a higher level of depressive symptoms at T1 showed a higher level of depression at T2. The results of this study suggest that PSD could be a psychological condition arising from the disabling consequences and altered family roles caused by a stroke.

Keywords:

• Functional disability
• post-stroke depression
• social support

Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the Central Grant of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong. The authors also wish to thank Ms Ada Ng and Ms Fong Yee Man for their effort in data collection scheduling. Special thanks to Dr Tony Chan for his statistical advice and Mr Ian Dunn for English proof-reading on the manuscript. Most importantly, the study would not have been possible without the participation of the clients in this study.