Readjustment and Social Support of the Post Hospitalized Stroke Patients

Suh, Moonja; Noh, Samuel; Devins, Gerald M; Kim, Keumsoon; Kim, Kookgi; Song, Jiyoung; Cho, Namok; Hong, Ywoshin; Kim, Inja; Choi, Heejung; Jung, Sunghee; Kim, Eunman

Abstract

An explanatory design was employed to identify the relationship of physical, emotional & social readjustment and social support of post hospitalized stroke patients and their caregiver. A convenient sample of 254 patients who given follow-up care at the outpatient department after discharge and 225 caregivers were recruited. Mental Status Questionnaire(MSQ), Social Support Inventory Stroke Survivors(SSISS), Illness intrusiveness(II), Instument Activity of Daily Living(IADL), Center of Epidnmilogic Studies-Depression(CES-D), social activity and caregiver burden were used for measurement in this study. Results showed patient's physical level measured by IADL and psychological level measured by depression were high. But social activity was low. Cognitive function, depression & social activity were not significantly different by the posthospitalized period, but IADL was. The source of professional support was mostly the physician at the outpatient department. The family support was found significantly related to patient's depression & social activity and caregiver's subjective related to patient's IADL & depression. ILLness intrusiveness as a mediating variable was a significantly predicting power on patient's IADL & depression. The path analysis was used to identify the variables to predict the physical, emotional, and social status of patients, the physical, emotional, and cognitive function, illness intursiveness and professional support significantly predicted the level of siveness and family support significantly predicted the level of depression ; and patient's age and family support significantly predicted the level of social activity of posthospitalized stroke patients. Based upon these results, the rehabilitation programs to reduce the illness intrusiveness and improve cognitive function were recommended for the readjustment of the stroke patients. This model of the readjustment of the posthospitalized stroke patients is recommended as the framework for care of the stroke patients.