title: Life satisfaction in spouses of patients with stroke during the first year after stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to investigate whether spouses' life satisfaction changed between their life prior to their partner's stroke, and at 4 months and 1 year after stroke, and to study the association between spouses' life satisfaction and objective characteristics of the stroke patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-seven consecutively enrolled spouses to first-ever stroke patients < 75 years of age participated. Life satisfaction was measured with the Life Satisfaction Checklist (LiSat-9).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with their life before stroke, the spouses' satisfaction with life as a whole, their leisure situation, daily occupation, sexual life, partner relationship and social contacts was lower 4 months after stroke. No significant change in life satisfaction was observed between 4 months and 1 year. Spouses of patients with sensorimotor impairment and low ability in self-care were less satisfied with their leisure situation, daily occupations, own ability in self-care, sexual life and partner relationship. Spouses of patients with cognitive or astheno-emotional impairments were less satisfied with their partner relationship, family life and sexual life. The associations were stronger at 1 year than at 4 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a need for support over a long time period that focuses on the social, occupational and leisure situation of spouses as well as that of patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, The Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden. gunilla.forsberg.warleby@neuro.gu.se
authors.forename: Gunilla
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Forsberg-Wärleby
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blomstrand
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D013997:Time Factors