“How Social Connection and Engagement Relate to Functional Limitations and Depressive Symptoms Outcomes After Stroke”

BACKGROUND: Stroke commonly leads to disability and depression. Social connection and engagement can be protective against functional decline and depression in the general population. We investigated the effects of social connection and engagement on trajectories of function and depressive symptoms in stroke. METHODS: Participants were 898 individuals with incident stroke from the Health and Retirement Study between 1998-2012. Multilevel modeling was used to examine associations of social connection and engagement with changes in functional limitations in instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) and depressive symptoms over time. Models controlled for age, gender, education, and race/ethnicity. Moderation analyses examined whether high social connection and engagement reduced depressive symptoms for survivors with high IADL impairment. RESULTS: Social connection and engagement were generally associated with fewer IADL limitations and depressive symptoms at the time of stroke and after stroke. For example, participants who felt lonely and did not provide help to others before stroke had more IADL limitations. Pre-stroke volunteering was associated with less increase in IADL limitations with stroke and increase in having friends and providing help to others compared to one’s pre-stroke status were associated with fewer IADL limitations after stroke. For depressive symptoms, participants who felt lonely and did not have a friend or partner before stroke had more depressive symptoms, and participants who had children residing nearby before stroke showed less increase in depressive symptoms. Moderation effects were not found for social connection and engagement on high IADL impairment and depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that social connection and engagement may reduce the negative physical and psychological outcomes of stroke, both at baseline and after stroke. Efforts to enhance social engagement and diminish loneliness may both enhance population well-being and enhance resilience and recovery from stroke and other illnesses.