Participation in leisure activity and exercise of chronic stroke survivors using community-based rehabilitation services in seongnam city.
OBJECTIVE
To clarify how participation in leisure activities and exercise by chronic stroke survivors differs before and after a stroke.


METHODS
Sixty chronic stroke survivors receiving community-based rehabilitation services from a health center in Seongnam City were recruited. They completed a questionnaire survey regarding their demographic characteristics and accompanying diseases, and on the status of their leisure activities and exercise. In addition, their level of function (Korean version of Modified Barthel Index score), risk of depression (Beck Depression Inventory), and quality of life (SF-8) were measured.


RESULTS
After their stroke, most of the respondents had not returned to their pre-stroke levels of leisure activity participation. The reported number of leisure activities declined from a mean of 3.9 activities before stroke to 1.9 activities post-stroke. In addition, many participants became home-bound, sedentary, and non-social after their stroke. The most common barriers to participation in leisure activities were weakness and poor balance, lack of transportation, and cost. The respondents reported a mean daily time spent on exercise of 2.6±1.3 hours. Pain was the most common barrier to exercise participation.


CONCLUSIONS
Chronic stroke survivors need information on leisure activities and appropriate pain management.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Bundang Jesaeng General Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
Tae Im
TI
Yi
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Bundang Jesaeng General Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
Jea Shin
JS
Han
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Bundang Jesaeng General Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
Ko Eun
KE
Lee
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Bundang Jesaeng General Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
Seung A
SA
Ha
Exercise; Leisure activities; Social welfare; Stroke