Quality of life after stroke in Croatian patients

In order to evaluate the microsocial factors affecting quality of life in stroke victims, 100 survivors of ischemic stroke and the same number of their relevant family members (key persons, controls) were interviewed using Stroke Specific Quality of Life Scale (SS-QOL)(1) questionnaire. Total SS-QOL score did not differ significantly between post-stroke patients and key persons (z=0.64, P=0.524). Relevant family members ranked the patients' family (P=0.022) and social role (P = 0. 08), and their mobility (P = 0. 09) slightly higher than the patients themselves. However, male patients rated their >> family role << (z=-2.82, P=0.005), >> mobility << (z=-2.28, P=0.023) and >> social role << (z=-1.86, P=0.063) higher than their female peers. Recent (<= 33 months) and remote (>33 months after the ischemic accident) stroke patients did not differ substantially in total SS-QOL score, social role and hand function assessment but in mobility (z=-1.90, P= 0.057) and family role estimation (z=-2.47, P=0.014) the difference was in favor of recent stroke patients. The domain scores and total SS-QOL score did not differ by gender between recent stroke patients and their controls either It is concluded that assessment of general functioning and global quality of life among post-stroke patients provided by relevant patients' family members could be accepted with confidence. Male patients slightly overestimate their mobility and social role. No significant impact of post-stroke time span on quality of life estimation was observed.