Cognitive status as a predictor of right hemisphere stroke outcomes

Abstract

The care of stroke patients continues to present a challenge to health care professionals. There is evidence that the quality of life following a stroke is related to functional status and also emotional, behavioral and cognitive abilities. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between emotional, behavioral and cognitive status and functional activity status of stroke survivors. The sample of 15 right hemisphere stroke patients was seen at four time periods after the stroke and they were assessed using the Neurobehavioral Rating Scale (NRS) and the Barthel Functional Index (BFI). The most frequently occurring mental status changes at six months were somatic concern, memory deficit, depressive mood and mental fatigue. There was a correlation between cognitive ability and functional ability. Although there was improvement over time in the scores of the NRS and BFI, there remained sufficient cognitive impairment to affect functional ability. Findings indicated the need for nurses to assess mental status when planning rehabilitation to establish realistic goals. Further research is needed with larger samples to examine the effects of stroke outcomes on functional ability.