Quality of life after stroke: impact of clinical and sociodemographic factors

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to analyze the impact of ischemic stroke on health-related quality of life (QoL) and associate this event with individuals' clinical and sociodemographic characteristics. METHODS: We investigated the clinical and demographic aspects of stroke patients. The Modified Rankin Scale, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and the Stroke Specific Quality of Life Scale (SS-QoL) were used for correlation analysis. RESULTS: Among 131 patients with ischemic stroke, 53.4% of patients presented with moderate to severe disability on the Rankin Scale. According to the SS-QoL, several QoL domains were compromised. QoL was significantly negatively correlated with the values of the Rankin and NIHSS scales, indicating lower QoL among people with worse functional status and greater clinical severity of stroke (p<0.001). The use of orthosis and total anterior circulation infarct subtype of stroke led to a more marked reduction in QoL. CONCLUSION: The present study described an inversely proportional relationship between the severity of stroke, disability and QoL. The use of orthosis also had a negative impact on QoL. Early identification of these factors could promote better interventions for individuals with ischemic stroke, minimizing disabilities and improving QoL.

Independência funcional de idosas residentes em instituições de longa permanência / Functional independence in elderly residents in long-term institutions

Objetivo: Avaliar a independência funcional de idosas institucionalizadas no município de Fortaleza/CE. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo exploratório, descritivo com abordagem quantitativa, realizado com 59 idosas residentes em duas Instituições de Longa Permanência de Idosos (ILPI) no município de Fortaleza/CE, durante o segundo semestre de 2010. O instrumento de avaliação inicial foi constituído por dados pessoais, sócio-demográficos e clínicos. Além disso, foi aplicada a Medida de Independência Funcional (MIF), visando medir o grau de necessidade de cuidados para tarefas motoras e cognitivas. Resultados: As idosas apresentavam 8,32 (± 9,46) anos de institucionalização. A idade média das participantes foi de 76,72 (± 9,81) anos. A maioria do grupo alimenta-se de modo independente, bem como realizam higiene pessoal e tomam banho. Quanto à locomoção 50,85% deslocam-se sem ajuda, e 62,71% só conseguem subir escadas com auxílio. Quanto à cognição social, possuem boa comunicação, 49,15% não precisam de ajuda para compreender palavras, 62,71% se expressam livremente, e 50,85% possuem déficit de memória. Conclusão: As idosas se mostraram independentes, uma vez que são capazes de desempenhar atividades como alimentação, higiene pessoal, banho, mobilidade, e possuem controle esfincteriano sem auxílio. São dependentes de auxílio relacionados à memória e à locomoção em escadas.

Objective: To evaluate the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) for elderly women in a long-term institution in Fortaleza/CE. Methods: This is an exploratory, descriptive study with a quantitative approach, performed with 59 elderly residents in two long-term institutions for the elderly (LTCF) in Fortaleza/CE, during the second half of 2010. The initial assessment instrument consisted of personal, socio-demographic, and clinical data. We then applied the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) to measure how much care they needed to perform motor and cognitive tasks. Results: The women had been institutionalized for 8.32 (± 9.46) years. The average age of participants was 76.72 (± 9.81) years. In relation to self-care most of the group eat, carry out personal hygiene, and bathe independently. In addition, it can be seen that 69.50% use the toilet independently. As for mobility, 50.85% of the women can manage without help, while 62.71% can only use the stairs with help. As for social cognition, they have good communication, because 49.15% did not need any help in understanding the words, 62.71% express themselves freely, while 50.85% have memory deficits. Conclusion: The participants in the study were independent under the general definition. They were able to perform virtually all activities in a satisfactory manner, such as feeding, personal hygiene, bathing, mobility, and sphincter control, being dependent on aid only with aspects related to memory and climbing stairs.

Atividades e participação de crianças com Paralisia Cerebral conforme a Classificação Internacional de Funcionalidade, Incapacidade e Saúde / Actividades y participación de niños com Parálisis Cerebral según la Clasificación Internacional de Funcionalidad, Incapacidad y Salud / Activities and participation of children with Cerebral Palsy according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health

A paralisia cerebral compromete o desempenho funcional do indivíduo acometido. Entretanto, as alterações nas atividades e participação deste têm sido pouco discutidas na literatura. O objetivo da presente pesquisa foi descrever características de um grupo de crianças com paralisia cerebral de uma instituição de Fortaleza quanto à capacidade em executar tarefas e participar das atividades de vida diária por meio da Classificação Internacional de Funcionalidade, Incapacidade e Saúde. Ao todo 32 participantes foram avaliados. Os dados foram coletados e agrupados pelo programa Statistical Package of Social of Science. A utilização da CIF proporcionou uma descrição objetiva quanto à dimensão da limitação das crianças com paralisia cerebral estudadas e quanto ao impacto desta alteração na vida da criança.

Cerebral palsy is among the most common motor disabilities in our midst that limits individuals from carrying out their normal daily routines. The adjacent alterations, characterization, and participation of the child in these activities is not appropriated explored in the literature. The objective of this survey was to describe the capacity and performance of the children with cerebral palsy treated at an institution in the city of Fortaleza as to their capacity to carry out tasks and participate in daily life activities as stated in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. Thirty-two children were evalueted. The data collected was grouped by the software Statistical Package of Social of Science (SPSS). The ICF had proportioned an objective description from cerebral palsy disabilities. It was clear that the impact that the disease has on the life of the children.

La parálisis cerebral afecta al desempeño funcional del individuo acometido. Sin embargo, las alteraciones en las actividades y participación de este han sido poco discutidas en la literatura. El objetivo de la presente investigación fue describir características de un grupo de niños con parálisis cerebral de una institución de Fortaleza en relación a la capacidad de ejecutar tareas y participar en actividades de la vida diaria, por medio de la Clasificación Internacional de Funcionalidad, Incapacidad y Salud. En total fueron evaluados 32 participantes. Los datos fueron colectados y agrupados por el programa Statistical Package of Social of Science. La utilización de la CIF proporcionó una descripción objetiva en relación a la dimensión de la limitación de los niños con parálisis cerebral estudiada y al impacto de esta alteración en la vida del niño.