Predictors of anxiety and depression after a mild stroke: a pilot one-year follow-up study

Abstract

Background: The aim of the study was to investigate 3-months’ (M3) and 6-months’ (M6) predictors of anxiety and depression levels at 12-months’ (M12) post-stroke in patients with early functional recovery. Methods: Fifteen stroke survivors were assessed at M3, M6 and M12 with self-report questionnaires assessing anxiety and depression (HADS) and coping strategies (RWCQ). Non-parametrical statistical tests were performed to compare M3 and M6 outcomes of M12 anxious and non-anxious patients on the one hand, and depressed and non-depressed patients on the other hand. Findings: Concerning anxiety, results bring out that M12 anxious individuals had significantly more M3 and M6 anxiety symptoms than non-anxious patients. More accurately, significant differences were found concerning M3 and M6 anxiety type psychic symptoms (psychic anxiety) whereas there was no difference regarding anxiety type somatic symptoms (psychomotor agitation). Besides, M12 anxious patients tend to have more M6 passive coping strategies (p=.07) to face daily stressors related to stroke. Concerning depression, results show that M12 depressed patients had significantly more M3 depression symptoms and less psychomotor agitation than non-depressed participants. Discussion: These results should lead to the improvement of anxiety and depression diagnosis and treatment after a stroke in patients experiencing early recovery. Thus, particular attention should be paid to specific symptoms in the earlier stages of stroke so as to detect at-risk patients. Moreover, therapies should focus on specific coping strategies in order to prevent later anxiety and depression.