MULTICOMPONENT EDUCATIONAL-REHABILITATION TREATMENT AND ITS IMPACT ON DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN STROKE SURVIVORS

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 MULTICOMPONENT EDUCATIONAL-REHABILITATION TREATMENT AND ITS IMPACT ON DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN STROKE SURVIVORS

Alma Glinac1,2 & Osman Sinanović3,4

1 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Clinical Centre Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina

2 Facullty of Education and Rehabilitation, University of Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina

3 Medical Faculty, Univeristy of Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina

4 Sarajevo School of Medcine, University of Sarajevo Scool of Science and Technology, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

received: 15. 1. 2024; revised: 29. 2. 2024; accepted: 14. 3. 2024.

Summary

Background: 

This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a multicomponent educational-rehabilitation intervention in mitigatingthe occurrence and intensity of depressive symptoms among stroke patients.

Subjects and Methods: 

A prospective, randomized clinical trial was conducted at the Clinic for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Clinical Center Tuzla. Seventy stroke patients were divided into two groups: the first group (N=40) underwent a multicomponent educational-rehabilitation treatment tailored to individual plans and programs, consisting of 45 minutes daily for five working days a week, totaling 20 sessions. The second group (N=30) did not receive the multicomponent educational-rehabilitation treatment. Both groups received conventional physical therapy methods (electrotherapy and individual kinesiotherapy) and speech therapy. The Beck Depression Inventory Second Edition instrument assessed the presence and severity of depressive symptoms at two time intervals: initially upon admission and finally after one month. The independent samples t-test was employed to identify differences between the initial and final testing across the groups. 

Results: 

Patients who underwent the multicomponent educational-rehabilitation treatment exhibited a significant decrease in the presence and severity of depressive symptoms compared to those in the untreated group (t=-2.223, P=0.030). 

Conclusion: 

The findings suggest that multicomponent educational-rehabilitation treatment holds promise in reducing the occurrence and intensity of depressive symptoms in stroke patients. Keywords: depression, stroke, rehabilitation, educational-rehabilitation treatment* * * * * 220 and performing simple tasks, and were cooperative and communicative. Exclusion criteria included patients with stroke in a coma for more than 72 hours, recurrent stroke, pre-existing physical disabilities from other neurological, orthopedic, traumatic, or rheumatic diseases, psychotic disorders, aphasia, and quantitative impairment of consciousness. Eligible patients were randomly assigned to two groups: one receiving the multicomponent educational-rehabilitation treatment (N=40) and the other without(N=30). Both groups underwent physical therapy methods (electrotherapy and individual kinesiotherapy) and speech therapy. The first group received the multicomponent educational-rehabilitation treatment based on an individualplan and program, lasting 45 minutes per day, five working days a week, for a total of 20 sessions. Patients wereassessed at two intervals: initially upon admission and finally after one month. The randomization of patients was conducted througha simple random selection process. Once a patient met all the criteria for participation in the study, including inclusion and exclusion criteria, they were assigned an identifier to facilitate tracking throughout the research. The implementation of random selection involved using a simple random method. In other words, from among 70 cards marked with either “G1” or “G2” indicating thesubject’s allocation to a specific group, one card was drawn. This card was then assigned to the patient who would be included in the study. All patients provided written informed consent, and the study received approval from the local ethics committee. More at link.