Determinants of quality of life in patients with hemorrhagic stroke: A path analysis

Identifying the determinants of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) improved assessment and decision-making in clinical practice. A few studies have focused on the determinants of HRQOL and their interrelationships in patients with hemorrhagic stroke. The aim of this study was to identify the factors contributing to HRQOL and exam their interrelationships. A total of 202 patients with hemorrhagic stroke who were discharged from the neurological unit participated in this study. Stroke-specific quality of life was used to assess HRQOL. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, the Scandinavian Stroke Scale and the Barthel Index were collected as potential predictors as well as social-demographic data. A path analysis was used to explore the potential interrelationships between various factors based on the International Classification of Functioning model. The final model reasonably fitted the data. The activities of daily living, neurological function and anxiety had direct effects on quality of life. Age, comorbidities, hemorrhage type, financial status, anxiety, and neurological function also had indirect influences on quality of life. All these factors explained 82.0% of all variance in quality of life. HRQOL in patients with stroke can be predicted by anxiety, neurological function, activities of daily living and other personal and environmental factors. These identified predictors and their interrelationships may assist clinical professions focusing their assessments and developing strategies for modifiable factors to improve HRQOL.