General and comparative self-rated health in chronic stroke: an important outcome measure for health professionals

• Published in: BMC neurology Vol. 22; no. 1; p. 78
• Main Authors: Viana, Ramon Távora, de Freitas Araújo, Érika, Lima, Lidiane Andrea Oliveira, Teixeira-Salmela, Luci Fuscaldi, de Morais Faria, Christina Danielli Coelho
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 07.03.2022; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Affective symptoms; Beliefs, opinions and attitudes; Brain Damage, Chronic; Care and treatment; Disability evaluation; Health assessment; Health Personnel; Humans; Methods; Motor disorders; Outcome and process assessment (Health Care); Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Physical activity; Self-rated health; Stroke; Stroke - epidemiology; Stroke patients; Brazil; Stroke; Self-rated health; Affective symptoms; Physical activity; Health assessment; Motor disorders
• ISSN: 1471-2377; 1471-2377
• DOI: 10.1186/s12883-022-02592-7

After a stroke, several aspects of health and function may influence how individuals perceive their own health. However, self-rated health (SRH), as well as its relationship with functioning, has been little explored in individuals with stroke. The aims of this study were to determine how individuals with chronic post-stroke disabilities evaluate their health, considering general, time- and age-comparative SRH questions and to investigate whether SRH measures would be influenced by the following health and functioning domains: mental/physical functions and personal factors. Sixty-nine individuals with chronic post-stroke disabilities answered the three types of SRH questions and were assessed regarding depressive symptoms (emotional function domain), physical activity levels (physical function domain), and engagement in physical activity practice (personal factor domain). Subjects were divided into the following groups: good/poor for the general SRH question; better, similar, and "worse" for both time- and age-comparative questions. Between-group differences in the three domains for each SRH question were investigated (α = 5%). General SRH was rated as good by 73% of the participants. Time- and age-comparative SRH was rated as better by 36% and 47% and as similar by 31% and 28% of the subjects, respectively. Significant between-group differences in emotional function were found for both the general and age-comparative questions. For the time-comparative question, significant differences were only observed for physical function. SRH evaluation differed in individuals with chronic post-stroke disabilities according to the types of questions and health/functioning domains.