[The effect of stroke on health and daily activities]

The purpose of this survey was to compare quality of life between survivors of stroke and the general population with regard to daily activities, health and emotional state. We surveyed a random group of 508 Kaunas residents, aged between 25 and 84 years, who survived the first stroke. The control group was made up of 508 sex- and age-matched stroke-free residents of Kaunas. We used the SF-12 quality of life questionnaire. Logistic regression was applied to evaluate the subjects for quality of life with regard to health, daily routine and mental state. Health was rated as very good by 1% of patients and 24,4% of controls (p = 0,001) and as poor by 78,9% and 26,4%, respectively (p = 0,001). The activities of 35,2% of patients and 3,5% of controls were impaired by their health (p = 0,001). State of health or emotional problems restricted social relationship in 19,3% of patients and in 1,6% of controls (p < 0,05). Social activities were mostly impaired in patients after cerebral stroke (odds ratio (OR = 36,7). Stroke also caused depression (OR = 16) and limited domestic activities (OR = 15,5).