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Published:
Nov 19, 2013Keywords:
Stroke Quality of life Sex-differences South-Eastern Nigeria.
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Quality of life and sex-differences in a South-Eastern Nigerian stroke sample
Abstract
Background
Quality of Life (QOL) studies in stroke among Africans are rather few and mainly from South-Western Nigeria. Hardly is there any from the other regions of this vast nation. Reports on gender influences on stroke survivors’ QOL have also been contradictory.
Objectives
This study set out to provide preliminary data on the QOL of stroke survivors in South-Eastern Nigeria and also investigate sex-differences in the QOL.
Methods
One hundred and three volunteering stroke survivors (53 males, 50 females) were recruited from various settings. The Stroke-Specific Quality of Life (SS-QOL) scale was used to assess participants’ QOL. Participants mean QOL score in the overall and individual domains were presented as percentages of Maximum Possible Scores (MPS) while sex-differences across domains were investigated with Mann-Whitney U test statistics at 0.05 alpha level.
Results
Participants mean scores in the vision (12.44 ± 3.56), thinking (11.50 ± 3.71), mood (18.55 ± 4.81) and language (19.04 ± 6.81) domains were above 70 percent of MPS while mean score in the social role (11.82 ± 4.75) was below 50% of MPS. Overall QOL score was slightly below 70% of the MPS. No significant sex-difference was found in all the SS-QOL domains (p<0.05).
Conclusions
QOL seems to be affected, albeit not too severely, among stroke survivors from South-Eastern Nigeria. The effect is however similar for survivors of both gender. Social and family roles and physical functioning seem to be areas requiring keener clinicians’ attention.
Key words: Stroke, Quality of life, Sex-differences, South-Eastern Nigeria.
Quality of Life (QOL) studies in stroke among Africans are rather few and mainly from South-Western Nigeria. Hardly is there any from the other regions of this vast nation. Reports on gender influences on stroke survivors’ QOL have also been contradictory.
Objectives
This study set out to provide preliminary data on the QOL of stroke survivors in South-Eastern Nigeria and also investigate sex-differences in the QOL.
Methods
One hundred and three volunteering stroke survivors (53 males, 50 females) were recruited from various settings. The Stroke-Specific Quality of Life (SS-QOL) scale was used to assess participants’ QOL. Participants mean QOL score in the overall and individual domains were presented as percentages of Maximum Possible Scores (MPS) while sex-differences across domains were investigated with Mann-Whitney U test statistics at 0.05 alpha level.
Results
Participants mean scores in the vision (12.44 ± 3.56), thinking (11.50 ± 3.71), mood (18.55 ± 4.81) and language (19.04 ± 6.81) domains were above 70 percent of MPS while mean score in the social role (11.82 ± 4.75) was below 50% of MPS. Overall QOL score was slightly below 70% of the MPS. No significant sex-difference was found in all the SS-QOL domains (p<0.05).
Conclusions
QOL seems to be affected, albeit not too severely, among stroke survivors from South-Eastern Nigeria. The effect is however similar for survivors of both gender. Social and family roles and physical functioning seem to be areas requiring keener clinicians’ attention.
Key words: Stroke, Quality of life, Sex-differences, South-Eastern Nigeria.
