HOW DO STROKE PATIENTS FARE WHEN DISCHARGED STRAIGHT TO THEIR HOMES? A CONTROLLED STUDY ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HOSPITAL FOLLOW-UP AFTER ONE MONTH

Authors: Ytterberg C.; Malm S.A.; Britton M.

Source: Scandinavian Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, Volume 32, Number 2, 29 June 2000 , pp. 93-96(4)

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Abstract:

In our experience, stroke patients discharged straight to their homes sometimes showed marked deterioration. We investigated whether this negative course of events could be prevented by means of follow-up visits entailing extensive testing and resultant measures one month after discharge. The patients in our study included a selection of mild cases with a short length of hospital stay. Forty-six patients returned to the stroke unit on a follow-up visit, and 49 patients made up the control group. The groups were compared after 3 months, by means of questionnaires. The results did not show any definite difference between the groups. However, after 3 months we detected depressions in 13 patients in the study group and in 11 patients in the control group, most of them untreated. The study points to a need for follow-up aimed specifically at detecting depression.

Language: English

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: Stroke Dept./SIVA, St Göran Hospital AB, SE-112 81 Stockholm

Publication date: 2000-06-29

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