title: An analysis of depressive symptoms in stroke survivors: verification of a moderating effect of demographic characteristics.
abstract: The rehabilitation of depressed stroke patients is more difficult because poststroke depression is associated with disruption of daily activities, functioning, and quality of life. However, research on depression in stroke patients is limited. The aim of our study was to evaluate the interaction of demographic characteristics including gender, age, education level, the presence of a spouse, and income status on depressive symptoms in stroke patients and to identify groups that may need more attention with respect to depressive symptoms.
  
  
  
  We completed a secondary data analysis using data from a completed cross-sectional study of people with stroke. Depression was measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale.
  
  
  
  In this study, depressive symptoms in women living with a spouse were less severe than among those without a spouse. For those with insufficient income, depressive symptom scores were higher in the above high school group than in the below high school group, but were lower in patients who were living with a spouse than in those living without a spouse.
  
  
  
  Assessing depressive symptoms after stroke should consider the interaction of gender, economic status, education level, and the presence/absence of a spouse. These results would help in comprehensive understanding of the importance of screening for and treating depressive symptoms during rehabilitation after stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Secondary Special Education, College of Education, Jeonju University, PO Box 560-759, 45 Baengma-gil, Wansan-gu, Jeonju, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Nursing, College of Nursing, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06591, Korea. jhee90@catholic.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jung-Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation / Q000523:psychology*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Demographic characteristic; Depression; Moderating effect; Stroke