Spouses of Stroke Survivors Report Reduced Health-Related Quality of Life Even in Long-Term Follow-Up: Results From Sahlgrenska Academy Study on Ischemic Stroke

Background and Purpose—The consequences for the family of stroke survivor are generally studied in a short-term perspective. The aim of this study was to assess long-term aspects of health-related quality of life among spouses of stroke survivors. Methods—Data on stroke survivors, controls, and spouses were collected from the 7-year follow-up of the Sahlgrenska Academy Study on Ischemic Stroke (SAHLSIS). The health-related quality of life of spouses was assessed by the Short Form-36, and the characteristics of stroke survivors were assessed using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Barthel Index, and the modified Rankin Scale. Results—Dyads of 248 stroke survivors aged <70 at stroke onset and 245 dyads of matched controls were included. Spouses of stroke survivors and spouses of controls had a median age of 64 and 65, respectively; proportion of men was 35% and 34%, respectively. The spouses of stroke survivors r...