MULTICOMPONENT EDUCATIONAL-REHABILITATION TREATMENT AND ITS IMPACT ON DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN STROKE SURVIVORS.

This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a multicomponent educational-rehabilitation intervention in mitigating the occurrence and intensity of depressive symptoms among stroke patients. A prospective, randomized clinical trial was conducted at the Clinic for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Clinical Center Tuzla. Seventy stroke patients were divided into two groups: the first group (N=40) underwent a multicomponent educational-rehabilitation treatment tailored to individual plans and programs, consisting of 45 minutes daily for five working days a week, totaling 20 sessions. The second group (N=30) did not receive the multicomponent educational-rehabilitation treatment. Both groups received conventional physical therapy methods (electrotherapy and individual kinesiotherapy) and speech therapy. The Beck Depression Inventory Second Edition instrument assessed the presence and severity of depressive symptoms at two time intervals: initially upon admission and finally after one month. The independent samples t-test was employed to identify differences between the initial and final testing across the groups. Patients who underwent the multicomponent educational-rehabilitation treatment exhibited a significant decrease in the presence and severity of depressive symptoms compared to those in the untreated group (t=-2.223, P=0.030). The findings suggest that multicomponent educational-rehabilitation treatment holds promise in reducing the occurrence and intensity of depressive symptoms in stroke patients.