Poster Presentation Asia Pacific Stroke Conference 2024

A comparison of post-stroke mental health, fatigue and quality of life following participation in a movement-based mindfulness or lifestyle education program: The Support After Stroke with group-based classeS (SASS) study (#352)

Shaun L Hancock 1 , Tharshanah Thayabaranathan 1 , Rene Stolwyk 2 , Jan Cameron 1 , Maarten A Immink 3 , Susan Hillier 4 , Monique F Kilkenny 1 5 , Amy Brodtmann 6 , Leeanne Carey 7 , Muideen Olaiya 1 , Emma Gee 8 , Dominique A Cadilhac 1 5
  1. Stroke and Ageing Research Group, Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
  2. School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Vicoria, Australia
  3. Caring Futures Institute and College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
  4. IIMPACT, Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
  5. Public Health - Stroke Division, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
  6. School of Translational Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  7. School of Allied Health, Human Service and Sport, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
  8. Survivor of Stroke, Lived Experience Consultant and Author, Kew, Victoria, Australia

Background: Group movement-based mindfulness (MBI) classes may reduce mental health, fatigue, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) post-stroke. We assessed changes in mental health, fatigue, and HRQoL post-MBI tailored for people with stroke, compared to lifestyle education (attention control).

Methods: Participants were recruited through the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (2021-2023), and randomised into either a 12-week MBI or lifestyle education program. Outcomes were measured using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS), Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) and EuroQol-5D-3L (EQ-5D), at baseline and post-intervention (13-15 weeks post-baseline). Cohen’s d and McNemar’s χ2  were computed to determine within-group changes from baseline to post-intervention. Between-group differences were determined using generalised linear regressions.

Results: Thirty-six participants completed follow-up (27% female, median age 70 years). The MBI group showed modest improvements post-baseline in mobility (SIS;81.5 vs.84.5), overall health (EQ-5D;75.0 vs. 80.8), problems with anxiety/depression (EQ-5D; 30% vs.17%), and small improvements for anxiety (HADS;4.4 vs. 3.8), fatigue (FAS;20.9 vs. 20.0), memory (SIS;80.8 vs 82.3) and problems with self-care (EQ-5D;15% vs.11%). The control group showed modest improvements in depression (HADS;6.9 vs 5.7), anxiety (HADS;5.8 vs. 4.4), communication (SIS;85.7 vs. 91.8), and hand function (SIS;90.8 vs. 93.2), problems with pain/discomfort (EQ-5D;44% vs.33%), and small improvements for usual activities (SIS;89.7 vs. 91.8), mobility (SIS;82.4 vs. 86.4), and overall health (EQ-5D;71.8 vs.76.3). No between-group differences were observed.

Conclusion: MBI or lifestyle education could result in small-to-medium favourable changes in mental health, fatigue and HRQol outcomes post-stroke. Future studies with larger samples are needed to confirm these findings.