Investigation of the longitudinal link between spousal stroke status and depression and anxiety: a 20-year cohort study

This research sought to analyze the correlation between the stroke status of spouses and the levels of depression and anxiety among participants while also delving into the determinants that impact their mental health status. An analysis was performed on self-reported data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) between 1999 and 2019. The study focused on couples diagnosed with stroke and psychological issues, encompassing 11,479 participants and 191,358 person-years of follow-up. Chi-square tests or T-tests were employed to identify factors influencing the onset of stroke or depression/anxiety. Poisson models were used to compute the incidence rates and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) of depression and anxiety, stratified by the stroke status of the spouse. The incidence of depression/anxiety was 7.93/1000 person-years among individuals with a spouse who experienced a stroke, compared to 5.43/1000 person-years among those with unaffected spouses. Those with a spouse who had a stroke faced a 61% higher risk of depression/anxiety than those with spouses who did not experience a stroke. Moreover, individuals whose spouses had stroke-related limitations in daily activities or stroke in conjunction with other chronic conditions were at an increased likelihood of developing depression/anxiety. Our study found that individuals with partners who have experienced a stroke face an increased susceptibility to experiencing depression and anxiety, especially when the stroke leads to disruptions in daily activities or coexisting chronic conditions. This study highlights the importance of introducing interventions to support families in managing the aftermath of a stroke.