Assessment of health-related quality of life of stroke survivors in southeast communities in Nigeria.

Abstract

The prevalence of stroke in Nigeria has continued to be a major public health challenge. Recovery from a stroke episode can be a long-impacting process with reduced quality of life outcomes. Past studies have explored the quality of life (QoL) of stroke survivors. However, none have explored the QoL of stroke survivors in Southeastern Nigeria. This study therefore describes the QoL of Nigerian stroke survivors in Southeastern Nigeria. One hundred and one participants (44 male and 58 female) were recruited into the study. QoL domains were assessed using the stroke-specific Health-Related Quality of Life in Stroke Patients (HRQOLISP). The physical domain was significantly lower than other domains measured (mean = 2.52, SD = 0.76), contributing to poor quality of life. On the other hand, the spiritual domain had the greatest positive influence on QoL (mean = 3.70, SD = 0.50). We found the physical domain was the poorest part of stroke survivors’ stroke experience. The spiritual domain had a positive impact on improving QoL. There is a need for research on interventions relating to the physical rehabilitation of stroke survivors and a review of how the spiritual domain can be enhanced to improve QoL.