title: Can faith protect from emotional distress after stroke?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Emotional distress is common in the aftermath of stroke and can impact negatively on the outcome. The study was aimed at evaluating whether religious beliefs can protect from emotional distress.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from 132 consecutive inpatients who were hospitalized for stroke rehabilitation and met the research requirements. At admission all study participants received a semi-structured interview on religious beliefs (Royal Free Interview for religious and spiritual beliefs) and were assessed on their mood with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The relationship between religious beliefs and mood was explored, adjusting for possible confounders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects with over-threshold Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scores had significantly lower Royal Free Interview scores (odds ratio, 0.95; CI, 92 to 98). The direction and magnitude of the association did not change after adjusting for possible confounders (odds ratio, 0.95; CI, 91 to 98). The same pattern was observed when analyzing separately Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale anxiety and depression subscales. The other significant variable was functional dependence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The strength of religious beliefs influences the ability to cope after a stroke event, with stronger religious beliefs acting as a possible protective factor against emotional distress.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Rehabilitation Institute San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy. salvatore.giaquinto@sanraffaele.it
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giaquinto
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spiridigliozzi
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Caracciolo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D029181:Spirituality; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires