A cross-sectional study of health-related quality of life and patient satisfaction among stroke patients belonging to different post-stroke time durations, attending the National Hospital of Sri Lanka and the Rheumatology Rehabilitation Hospital

Abstract

Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability, resulting in significant physical, mental, and social impairments that affect Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL). Patient satisfaction is an important measure of the quality of healthcare service and highlights unmet needs. Due to limited evidence on how HRQOL and satisfaction with stroke care vary across different post-stroke stages in Sri Lanka, this study aims to assess HRQOL, evaluate patient satisfaction, and identify major complaints among patients at acute, subacute, and chronic post-stroke stages. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 96 post-stroke patients attending the Neurology Unit of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka and the Rheumatology Rehabilitation Hospital in Ragama. Participants were grouped according to post-stroke duration as acute (<2 months, n=32), subacute (2-6 months, n=32), and chronic (6-12 months, n=32). Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire, including the Stroke Specific Quality of Life (SSQOL) scale and Satisfaction with Stroke Care Questionnaire (SASC19). Due to variability in demographic and clinical characteristics (confounding factors) between groups, data were only analyzed descriptively using SPSS version 25.0. The mean age of participants was 58.47 ± 12.593 (acute), 61.00 ± 14.037 (subacute), and 56.31 ± 9.539 (chronic). The total mean scores of the SSQOL for acute, subacute, and chronic groups were 173.09 ± 45.30, 179.06 ± 36.98, and 197.66 ± 32.82. The total mean scores for the home subscale of SASC-19 were 25.09 ± 1.20 (acute), 25.62 ± 1.82 (subacute), and 24.19 ± 1.69 (chronic). Major complaints varied by post-stroke stage: the acute group reported issues in work/productivity, mobility, and upper extremity function; the subacute group in self-care, mobility, and work/productivity; and the chronic group in social life, self-care, and energy. This study highlights stage-specific differences in HRQOL and satisfaction among post-stroke patients in Sri Lanka, indicating a gradual improvement of HRQOL, but confounding factors limited the direct analysis between groups. Identified complaints emphasize the need for tailored long-term rehabilitation to address patient concerns at each stage.