The association of psychological stress and health related quality of life among patients with stroke and hypertension in Gaza Strip

Abstract

Background: The study was performed to investigate the association of psychological stress and quality of life (QOL) among patients with the cardiovascular disease (CVD) of hypertension plus stroke or hypertension only. Methods: The WHOQOL-BRIEF questionnaire was applied to 112 hypertensive patients with hypertension plus stroke and 224 hypertensive patients without stroke. Psychological stress was assessed with SCL-90. Means scale scores were compared using student-t-test and predictors of QOL were calculated with covariance analysis. Results: Patients with stroke had a significant lower QOL than patients without stroke and a significantly higher level of stress (p < 0.01). In analyses of c..