Abstract

BACKGROUND: stroke is one of the leading causes of different psychiatric disorders. Post-stroke depression and post-stroke fatigue is common neuro-psychiatric manifestation after a stroke, there is still confusion about the severity of different comorbid psychiatric conditions and stroke and further planning on rehabilitative measures and management. Knowledge of the severity of comorbid conditions will enable better prevention treatment and early intervention and the right referral.

AIM: The aim of our study was to examine the severity of depression and fatigue in post-stroke patients and analyze sociodemographic variables of post-stroke patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our study was hospital-based and done in collaboration with the Department of Neurology, with the recruitment of 64 participants to analyze the socio-demographic variables of patients discharged and on follow-up from the last 6 months since the episode of stroke. The severity of depression was analyzed using the Hamilton Depression Ranking Scale (HAM-D), the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) was used to assess the severity of fatigue, and the BG Prasad scale to analyze the socioeconomic status was administered.

RESULTS: The majority of the patients were married, female, age greater than 55 years Muslim, and employed, having the majority of participants’ education level above secondary with left-sided hemisphere stroke, ischemic, and of non-frontal location. On FSS the majority 54.68% of patients had mild severity and on HAM-D 57.81% had mild depressive episodes.

CONCLUSION: The severity of psychiatric disorders will help in planning referrals, management, and different rehabilitative measures. Will also help in enhancing the quality of life.