Quality of life and associated factors among poststroke clinic attendees at a University Teaching Hospital in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Quality of life (QOL) measures are effective in quantifying disease burden after stroke, more so than levels of debility. The objective of this study is to determine QOL and associated factors of stroke survivors in Lagos, Nigeria.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy stroke survivors (study sample) and seventy stable hypertensive patients (control sample) attending clinics at a Nigerian hospital were recruited for the study. Respondents were assessed using sociodemographic/clinical questionnaires, modified mini-mental state examination, modified Rankin Scale, schedule for clinical assessment in neuropsychiatry, and World Health Organization-QOL-BREF.

RESULTS: Mean ages of the study and control respondents were 57.43 (±9.67) years and 57.33 (±9.33) years, respectively. Each sample comprised 38 male and 32 female respondents. Stroke survivors were significantly more likely to: be unemployed ( P = 0.001), pay more for healthcare ( P = 0.001), consume alcohol ( P = 0.02), and have physical impairments ( P = 0.001) compared with control. The mean QOL scores of stroke survivors were significantly lower than controls across all spheres. Stroke survivors who were unemployed, younger, female, paying more for healthcare, more disabled, with right stroke lateralization, having comorbidities, and sexual dysfunction had significantly poorer QOL specific grades. Depression or anxiety poststroke was also associated with reduced QOL means scores.

CONCLUSION: Besides, clinical variables such as levels of disability and stroke lesion lateralization, other factors such as unemployment, health costs, age, gender, and emotional problems influenced QOL after stroke.