J Agric Med Community Health.  2010 Dec;35(4):405-416.

Factors Related to the Disability of Stroke Patients in Gyeongju, Korea

• Kang MS
• Jo MW
• Lim HS
• Kim SK

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This study was conducted to evaluate factors related to the degree of disability of stroke patients in a rural community.
METHODS
The study subjects included 641 patients selected from 975 stroke patients over the age of 50 with brain lesion-related disabilities living in Gyeongju, Korea, an urban-rural consolidated community. The data were obtained by interviews from July to October 2008. The subjects were divided into a seriously disabled group (1st and 2nd disability grade) and mildly disabled group (3th, 4th, 5th and 6th disability grade) by degree of disability according to registered disability grade. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS 14.0 statistical package.
RESULTS
The study subjects included 379 males (59.1%) and 262 females (40.9%), and most patients were in their 70s (256 cases, 39.9%). The seriously disabled group included 287 patients (44.8%) and the mildly disabled group included 354 persons (55.2%). Age, prehospital delayed time and number of related chronic diseases were risk factors for serious disability (p<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that the degree of disability can be reduced by decreasing prehospital delayed time. We suggest that education of high risk groups and establishment of emergency services as well as a transport system for stroke patients are required to reduce the degree of disability due to stroke.

Keyword

Stroke; Cerebrovascular disorders; Disability; Emergencies

MeSH Terms

Brain
Cerebrovascular Disorders
Chronic Disease
Emergencies
Female
Humans
Korea
Male
Risk Factors
Stroke