Activities of Daily Living and Fatigue in the Stroke Patients

Park, Geun Ok; Shin, Su Jin

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study were to describe the level of activities of daily living (ADLs) and fatigue of stroke patients and to identify related factors of ADLs and fatigue. METHOD: A sample of 132 were used who were recovering from stroke. The face-to-face interviews were conducted to collect data. The levels of ADLs and fatigue were evaluated using the Modified Barthel Index and Kim's fatigue scale respectively. A series of t-test and analysis of variance analyses were conducted to examine study purposes using SPSS 15.0.
RESULTS
The levels of fatigue and ADLs were 65.6 (SD=16.52) and 74.6 (SD=22.32) respectively. Significantly poorer ADLs were found: women (t=2.05, p=.001), older people aged > or = 70 years (F=2.74, p=.046), the duration of onset (F=4.32, p=.006), the use of assist devices (F=35.64, p<.001), the parts of paralysis (F=4.25, p=.007), the time to attack (F=3.34, p=.039), and accompanying symptoms (F=15.23, p<.001). There was a significant difference in fatigue with patients with lower accompanying symptoms having lower fatigue (F=11.08, p<.001).
CONCLUSION
These findings suggest gender, the duration from onset, the use of assist device, the parts of paralysis, the time to attack and accompanying symptoms were significant factors of the ADLs and fatigue post stroke. These factors should be considered when developing and testing nursing intervention programs for stroke survivors.