The problem of depression after a stroke has received very little attention from the medical profession until recently. Even the frequency of depression after stroke is uncertain, and there has been very little research.
The author studied depression, using BDI (Beck Depression Inventory) in 30 CVA patients who were inpatient at Kyung Hee University Hospital and 30 normal subjects, during the period from the beginning of Feb 1988 until the end of April 1988.
The summary of the results is as fallows;
1) The BDI mean score were 22.63±10.9 in the CVA patients and 12.87±7.58 in the normal subjects.
2) Depression status was not significantly related to age, sex, side of brain involuement, duration of illness, or independence in ADL.
3) Depression status was significantly related to limited social function, guilty conscience, helplessness, and damage of self-image.
