Objectives: To study quality of life in stroke patients measured with Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) and related factors.

Study design: Descriptive study

Setting: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Siriraj Hospital

Subjects: Stroke patients at outpatient clinic, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Siriraj Hospital

Methods: Data collection and interview by questionnaire: demographic data, Thai version of SIS 3.0, modified version of Rankin scale (MRS), the Barthel index (BI) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ9) Thai version.

Results: There were 175 stroke patients with an average age 63 years old (SD 11.4). The study revealed 59.4% males, 65.7% ischemic stroke, 82.9% first time stroke, 50.9% history of inpatient rehabilitation admission and 60% spasticity. Common comorbidities were 88.6% hypertension, 76.6% dyslipidemia, 32.6% diabetes mellitus and 18.9% heart disease. SIS score in descending order were communication 94.1 (12.0), memory and thinking 89.8 (16.2), emotion 72.7 (16.0), participation in social 64.8 (21.1), activities of daily living 62.6 (27.6), mobility 59.7 (31.5), the self-recovery rating 56.6 (22.2), the use of the weak hand 44.4 (36.9) and the strength of the body 40.8 (21.2) respectively. The mean of SIS composite physical domain was 51.9 (25.6). The factors that correlated with quality of life SIS composite physical domain were ability to perform activities of daily living by BI score (p <0.001), disability level by MRS (p < 0.001), spasticity (p < 0.05) and depression by PHQ9 score (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Stroke affects quality of life in domains of body strength and the use of the weak hand more than other domains. The important factors were ability to perform activities of daily living by BI score and depression by PHQ9 score. Therefore, this study suggested that rehabilitation program to increase ability to perform activities of daily living and treatment of depression would improve quality of life.