PREVALENCE OF FATIGUE IN ELDERLY POST-STROKE PATIENTS

Abstract

SUMMARY

This study aims to describe the prevalence of fatigue in elderly post-stroke patients. A cross-sectional study included 157 Subjects diagnosed with stroke (according to WHO) and treated as inpatients and outpatients at the National Geriatric Hospital, aged ≥ 60 years old examined or treated at National Geriatric Hospital from July to November 2021. Data were collected by using designed tools including characteristics of these patients. Entered data on Redcap and used SPSS version 22.0 for analysis. The mean age of the patients was 73.49 ± 9.58 years. The female/male ratio was 0.89. The percentage of patients with independence was 42.7% (n=67). 57.3% (n=90) of the participants depended on the ratio of the components: Minimally dependent, partially dependent, very dependent, and totally dependent, respectively 10.2% (n=16); 14% (n=22); 14.6% (n=23) and 18.5% (n=29). In one hundred and fifty-seven participants, the percentage of patients with sleep disturbances accounted for 81.5% (128), which is four times the percentage of patients with good sleep at 18.5% (29). The total score of the FSS test ranged from 7 to 63 with a mean score was 42.32 ± 11.50, in which, the greatest distribution was generated by post-stroke fatigue patients (<36 points), with the percentage of 74.5% and almost triple with normal group (25.5%). The majority of patients agreed with the statement that fatigue affects the patient's motor function, the patient is prone to fatigue but it is not a permanent problem for the patient. Early detection by performing FSS test to screen for fatigue in elderly post-stroke patients, thereby providing appropriate treatment can help improve treatment effectiveness as well as patient's quality of life.