Background and Purpose-Emotional distress is common in the aftermath of stroke and can impact negatively on the outcome. The study was aimed at evaluating whether religious beliefs can protect from emotional distress. Methods-Data were collected from 132 consecutive inpatients who were hospitalized for stroke rehabilitation and met the research requirements. At admission all study participants received a semi-structured interview on religious beliefs (Royal Free Interview for religious and spiritual beliefs) and were assessed on their mood with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The relationship between religious beliefs and mood was explored, adjusting for possible confounders. Results-Subjects with over-threshold Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scores had significantly lower Royal FreeInterview scores (odds ratio, 0.95; CI, 92 to 98). The direction and magnitude of the association did not change after adjusting for possible confounders (odds ratio, 0.95; CI, 91 to 98). The same pattern was observed when analyzing separately Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale anxiety and depression subscales. The other significant variable was functional dependence. Conclusions-The strength of religious beliefs influences the ability to cope after a stroke event, with stronger religious beliefs acting as a possible protective factor against emotional distress. (Stroke. 2007;38:993-997.)Key Words: rehabilitation Ⅲ stroke E motional distress is a relatively frequent complication after stroke. In particular, poststroke depression has been the topic of many studies. The pooled estimate is 33% (95% CI, 29% to 36%). Differences in the case mix, inclusion criteria, and methods of assessment can make results different across studies. 1,2 A recent Italian study found poststroke depression in 36% of stroke survivors. 3 The small population size which is usual in this strand of literature does not allow reliable models and only stroke severity is associated with depression. 2,4,5 However, female gender and previous cerebrovascular or depressive episodes, but not site, were also associated variables. 3 According to the Swedish national quality assessment register Risk-Stroke, antidepressant medication is used by 22.5% of men and 28.1% of women who experienced a stroke. 6 Poststroke depression negatively affects outcome either during hospitalization or after discharge. 7,8,9 Therefore, this issue is important in rehabilitation and deserves a deeper insight. So far, physical variables as well as health history were considered in the literature, whereas faith has never been studied. Faith is an overall concept. Spirituality and religiosity are more focused concepts, but they are not synonymous. Spirituality is concerned with the transcendent with addressing ultimate questions about life's meaning, assuming that there is more than what can be seen or understood. 10 The concept is generally taken to mean believing, valuing, or being devoted to some high power outside the corporeal world. By contrast, religiosity involves a doct...

PD participants maintain their Faith in spite of the disease severity. Differences are found between right and left onset of PD. The possible beneficial effect of religious coping is discussed.

Faith could dampen Post-Stroke Depression (PSD), which may negatively influence recovery. The present pilot study is an initial examination of the role of religion and spirituality on the functional recovery after a recent stroke. Data were analyzed from 112 consecutive stroke inpatients, who underwent a 2-month standard rehabilitation program. All participants received the Royal Free Interview (RFI), a semi-structured interview for religious and spiritual beliefs, and were assessed on their mood with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Functional status was measured by means of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). The relationship between religious beliefs, mood improvements, and functional recovery was explored by means of a multiple linear regression. No association between faith and recovery of functional independence could be verified, neither religiousness as a "coping strategy" was associated with functional recovery in this study. An explorative study of a larger size, which also takes into consideration the cultural background and religious beliefs of all patients, is warranted in the longterm.

Religious and spiritual beliefs are beneficial in stroke patients as coping strategies. This work has investigated the feeling of people about it by proposing to 174 volunteers aged 54.0 +/- 16.9 years the Royal Free Interview (RFI). Interviewed subjects considered the beliefs beneficial for health independently of their form. Ascertaining the pre-morbid understanding of life in subjects at risk of hypertension may be useful to verify self-confidence and coping possibilities against anger, fear, and stress, factors that may exert a negative effect.