Mental health conditions up for partners, children of stroke survivors

The risks for mental health conditions are higher for partners and adult children of stroke survivors, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.

Nils Skajaa, Ph.D., from Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark, and colleagues conducted a nationwide, population-based cohort study to examine the associations of stroke in a partner or parent with the risk for depression, substance use disorders, anxiety disorders, and self-harm or suicide using data from 70,917 partners of stroke survivors; 70,664 partners of myocardial infarction (MI) survivors; 354,570 partners of individuals from the general population; 207,386 adult children of stroke survivors; 183,309 adult children of MI survivors; and 1,036,886 adult children of individuals from the general population.

The researchers found that the three-year absolute risk was 1.0, 0.7, 0.3, and 0.04 percent for depression, substance use disorders, anxiety disorders, and self-harm or suicide, respectively, among partners of stroke survivors. For the assessed outcomes, the risk ratio point estimates ranged from 1.14 to 1.42 and from 1.04 to 1.09 compared with the general population and compared with partners of MI survivors, respectively.

Partners of stroke survivors had an elevated risk for depression that was more pronounced after severe or moderate versus mild stroke. The three-year absolute risk was 0.6, 0.6, 0.2, and 0.05 percent for depression, substance use disorders, anxiety disorders, and self-harm or suicide, respectively, for adult children of stroke survivors. Adult children had smaller absolute risks and risk ratios than those reported for partners.

"This study highlights the potential consequences of stroke among family members, particularly partners," the authors write.

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