Abstract
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to help physical therapists involved in rehabilitation in the direction of clinical intervention in the treatment of stroke patients by understanding how an activity restriction of stroke patients affects depression and the quality of life associated with health. METHODS: This study assessed 404 stroke patients from the Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey. The subjects were divided into two categories: activity restriction and non-activity restriction. The variables used in this study were depression diagnosed by a doctor and EQ-5D, which evaluates the quality of life. Logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratios associations of activity restriction with depression and the quality of life in stroke patients. RESULTS: The diagnosis of depression with an activity restriction was 11.2%, while 4.8% of those with non-activity restrictions were diagnosed with depression (p<.05), and the EQ-5D index of was .68±.03, .88±.01(p<.05). The odds ratio for depression with an activity restriction was 3.37 (95% CI, 1.49-7.63) compared to the non-activity restriction. A statistically significant difference in the odds ratio was observed for each item in the EQ-5D. CONCLUSION: Activity restriction in stroke patients increases the probability of depression, and reduces the quality of life significantly. The treatment for stroke patients should be approached, taking psychological factors into account. In addition, rehabilitation programs that can be performed systematically and continuously are deemed necessary.