- About 60 percent of survivors experience depression within 20 years
Stroke survivors are almost three times as likely to suffer from depression as their healthy peers, according to new research.
Experts say the numbers struggling with their mental health are much higher than previously thought.
They warned that more needs to be done to help patients navigate life in the years after a stroke.
The King’s College London study found that nine out of 10 cases of depression occurred within five years of surviving a stroke, indicating an important time for healthcare intervention.
They looked at the incidence of mild and severe depression among 6,600 stroke survivors in the London boroughs of Lambeth and North Southwark.
Experts say the numbers struggling with their mental health are much higher than previously thought
About 60 percent of stroke survivors would experience depression within the next 20 years, compared with 22 percent of the general population, according to findings published in The Lancet Regional Health, Europe.
Yanzhong Wang, professor of statistics in population health at King’s College London, said: ‘Depression is common in stroke survivors, but our research shows it lasts much longer than previously thought.
‘We know that depression can limit a stroke survivor’s mobility, including simple things like walking and holding objects, and can also increase the risk of death.
‘With an aging population in Britain and an increase in the proportion of older adults, it is vital that we plan for rising demand for healthcare to tackle the expected increase in stroke rates.’
There are 1.3 million stroke survivors in the UK, with around 100,000 experienced each year.
The study population consisted of 55.4 percent men with an average age of 68 years. About 62.5 percent were from a white ethnic background and 29.7 percent were from a black ethnic background.
Depression can limit a stroke survivor’s mobility, including simple things like walking and holding objects, according to an expert
Although post-stroke depression is common after stroke and is associated with poor functional ability and increased mortality, the study found that severe depression occurred earlier after stroke, lasted longer and recurred more quickly than mild depression.
Corresponding author Lu Liu said: ‘Quality of life is important for stroke survivors, as there is evidence that depressed survivors have a lower survival rate.
‘There are many reasons why this could happen, including disruptions in the survivor’s social life, reduced physical skills and inflammatory disorders seen in depressed patients.
‘More clinical attention should be paid to patients with depression lasting more than one year due to the high risks of persistent depression.’