Improving emotional outcomes following acute stroke: a preliminary evaluation of a work-book based intervention

Sixteen acute stroke patients (6 males and 10 females) who received a self-help workbook addressing both medical and psychological issues on discharge from hospital showed significantly lower anxiety and depression levels and a non-significant trend toward greater satisfaction with advice/information than 53 patient controls (28 male, 25 female) recruited to an earlier study who did not receive the workbook. All patients had been admitted to hospital with a first stroke, were aged less than 80 years, and had a residual disability at discharge. There were no significant group differences in age, sex distribution or neurological impairment measured within 48 hours of admission to hospital, thus our findings suggest that a workbook-based intervention can improve short-term emotional outcomes. A large-scale randomised controlled trial is needed.