Outcomes of Patient Follow-up and Factors Affecting Daily Routines of Stroke Patients after Discharge

Daily Routines of Stroke Patients after Discharge

Abstract

Although there are guidelines for stroke care in Thailand, there are still patients who become disabled and unable to move normally, which affects their work and daily activities. This retrospective research reviewed medical records of stroke patients referred for home-based continuing care to investigate the factors influencing their ability to carry out activities of daily living (ADLs) following hospital discharge. The study sample consisted of stroke patients who were admitted as inpatients and had a Barthel Index score of less than 75 prior to discharge. These patients were referred for continuing care at the Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Unit of Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute, Ramathibodi Hospital, between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2023. A total of 97 patients were included. The results showed that 43 participants (44.3%) were male and 54 (55.7%) were female, with an average age of 72 ± 13.2 years. Regarding disease severity, 48.5% of the participants had a moderate level of comorbidity as measured by the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Barthel Index scores were assessed at three points: prior to discharge, two weeks post-discharge during home visits, and one-month post-discharge. At the two-week mark, comorbidity severity was found to be significantly associated with ADL performance. However, within one-month post-discharge, gender, age, and comorbidity severity were not found to significantly affect patients’ ability to perform activities of daily living