Prevalence of depression and cognitive impairment and their inter-relationship and association with quality of life among older stroke survivors: the findings of a national survey in China.

Background: Post-stroke depression (PSD) and post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) are prevalent neuropsychiatric problems that are associated with high disability burden and low quality of life (QoL). This study explored the PSD-PSCI network, along with the interaction and association with QoL among Chinese older stroke survivors.

Methods: Data from the 2017-2018 wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey were obtained to investigate the inter-relationship between PSD and PSCI among older stroke survivors. Central and bridge symptoms within the PSD-PSCI network and their association with QoL were explored. Depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment and QoL were measured using the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10), Mini-Mental State Examination and the WHO QoL-brief version, respectively.

Results: The prevalence of PSD and PSCI among older stroke survivors was 31.5% and 22.1%, respectively. In the PSD-PSCI network, 'feeling blue/depressed' (CESD3, strength: 1.117) and 'Attention and calculation' (At_C, strength: 0.972) were the most influential symptoms, while 'Naming' (Nam, bridge strength: 0.175) was the most significant bridge symptom. Notably, 'Sleep disturbances' (CESD10) had the strongest association with lower QoL.

Conclusion: This study revealed that both PSD and PSCI were prevalent among older stroke survivors. The key central and bridge symptoms in the PSD-PSCI network, along with those symptoms that negatively impact on QoL, should be prioritised in targeted interventions to enhance treatment outcomes in this population.