Quality of life of stroke survivors and apparently healthy individuals in southwestern Nigeria.

Quality of life (QoL) data have been used to assess treatment outcomes and to guide programme and rehabilitation efforts. QoL data in stroke survivors (SSV) from Nigeria are rare. This study compared the QoL of 84 SSV and 87 matched apparently healthy individuals (AH) in southwestern Nigeria. The effect of poststroke duration (PSD) on QoL and the relationship between QoL and motor performance (MP) were also investigated. SSV were recruited from all (7) tertiary health institutions in southwestern Nigeria. The fifth edition of Comprehensive Quality of Life Adult questionnaire and the Modified Motor Assessment Scale were used to assessed QoL and MP, respectively. Data were analyzed by using Mann-Whitney U-test, Spearman's correlation test, independent t-test, and Kruskaal-Wallis test (alpha=0.05). The SSV and AH were aged 59.7+/-11.9 and 60.0+/-12.1, respectively. SSVs' mean PSD and MP score were 17.8+/-15.4 months and 55.3%+/-18.9%, respectively. Objective QoL of SSV (42+/-12.8) was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that of the AH (56.3+/-6.7). Subjective QoL of SSV (67.8+/-10.6) was also significantly lower than that of the AH (74.2+/-6.4). AH had significantly higher QoL than SSV in all but material, intimacy, and safety (subjective and objective) domains. There was no significant relationship between MP and QoL, and PSD had no significant influence on QoL. Our findings suggest that stroke survivors in southwestern Nigeria have lower QoL than their apparently healthy counterparts and may benefit from comprehensive management programmes.