The Correlation between Depression, Balance, and Physical Functioning Post Stroke

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Stroke frequently leads to depression, balance impairment, and physical disability.
• Understanding the interrelationships between these sequels is crucial for effective patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between depression, balance, and self-reported physical performance in post-stroke patients.
• To analyze how depression intensity and stroke severity impact these functional measures.

Main Methods:

• Administered Arabic versions of Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Dynamic Gait Index (A-DGI), and Stroke Impact Scale-16 (SIS).
• Calculated correlations using Pearson coefficient.
• Employed Kruskal-Wallis test to compare scores across depression and stroke severity levels.

Main Results:

• Significant moderate correlations were observed between depression (BDI) and balance (A-DGI), depression and physical performance (SIS), and balance and physical performance.
• A-DGI and physical SIS scores differed significantly across BDI depression intensity levels.
• BDI, A-DGI, and physical SIS scores varied significantly across Orpington Prognostic Scale (OPS) stroke severity levels.

Conclusions:

• Depressive symptoms are prevalent in post-stroke individuals.
• Depression is significantly associated with impaired balance and reduced self-reported physical performance in stroke survivors.