Abstract

According to current WHO data around 4.6 million people per year, from all over the world die due to the effects of cerebrovascular attack (stroke) and the number of stroke victims is continually and significantly increasing. In Hungary stroke is third in the table for causes of death and the number one cause of impairment. As a large number of impairments stem from the actual stroke, so, many aspects (physical, psychological, social, environmental, disability) of the quality of life are seriously affected.

In my thesis I monitor the quality of life of those patients who suffered from stroke and who are treated in the Rehabilitation Department in Mezőtúri Hospital and Surgery. I do this by monitoring those patients who have had a stroke at least 6 months ago, up to a maximum five years ago, who are in patients in our department. Our department is only small (15 staff), so during the given sixth-month- long period I was only able to assess in reasonable detail the quality of life in the case of 52 patients. Due to the limited size of the sample I have to accept that it is not necessarily representative and therefore my analysis has to be viewed in that context. I use the Microsoft Excel 7.Version to record, to statistically treat and to archive the earlier acquired data. My method was to use two separate questionnaires to expedite my survey. One questionnaire was compiled by myself and focused on the patient’s life and lifestyle. The other was compiled by the WHO and measures the quality of life incorporating a disability module (WHO-DIS).

When comparing the same age groups and genders, my results do not deviate significantly from those in the national data records. 48% of the patients who took part in the survey are women and 52% are men. From the age groups interviewed 11 of those people are under fifty (21%) which is not overly dissimilar to the 28% as recorded in the national data records. Discernable differences can be noted in the lifestyles of the patients before and after the illness. This is shown by the fact, that. the number of those patients who regularly smoked and drank alcohol decreased meaningfully after their stroke. On the other hand regular exercise did increase d but only by 11 %. and the data regarding nutrition did not show any real improvement. According to my data 84 % of the patients eat in a healthy or generally healthy way, but contradicting that their BME Indexes show very bad results. There are only six patients in the normal range, all the others are either overweight or in I –II grade obese. Those patients, who suffered from stroke 4 – 5 years earlier had more opportunity to participate in treatments than those who suffered a stroke say ½ - 1 year ago and therefore approached the survey more positively. I find strong relationships amongst the different aspects of life quality, mainly between the physical and environmental aspects and between the physical and psychological aspects. These two fields show a significant correlation of 0.7-0.9. The other remaining aspects are also strongly connected (0.4-07). This is a medium-strong correlation, which signifies an important relationship.

During my survey I found it very positive that many of our patients displayed a willingness to take part in rehabilitation and that they work positively in order to improve their health. In general they try hard and do their best to improve their chances of recovery and avoid a recurrence of a new stroke. However I evaluated the eating habits of the patients negatively, since among those patients who stated their food intake as normal and healthy, 88% suffer from weight problems and I would suggest we would see similar results right across Hungary.

As stroke is the leading cause of mental and physical impairment, so early- functional rehabilitation for patients is vital. Such rehabilitation in the first three months following a stroke gives the patient the best chance of improving his quality of life.