Perceived impact of stroke six years after onset, and changes in impact between one and six years.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the perceived impact of stroke between 1 and 6 years after stroke using the Stroke Impact Scale 3.0 (SIS).

DESIGN: A prospective longitudinal study.

METHODS: A total of 100 individuals were assessed using the SIS 3.0 at 1 and 6 years after onset of stroke and clinically meaningful changes were explored. Changes in domain scores were calculated over time in relation to age, sex and stroke severity.

RESULTS: The most impacted SIS domains after 6 years were Participation, Strength, Hand function, and Stroke recovery. Participants with moderate/severe stroke experienced a higher impact in all domains except Hand function and Stroke recovery, indicating more problems in everyday life, compared with those with mild stroke. Almost half of the participants had a clinically meaningful change in the domain Participation between 1 and 6 years. Those with moderate/severe stroke and the older age group experienced more negative clinically meaningful changes in several domains in comparison with those with mild stroke and the younger age group.

CONCLUSION: The long-term perceived impact of stroke highlights the importance of appropriate rehabilitation interventions within several areas to reduce the long-term negative impact in everyday life.