Having a confidant helps stroke survivors have good mental health

Two-thirds of stroke survivors are in complete mental health despite the impact of their stroke, according to a large, nationally representative Canadian study. This study conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work sheds new light on factors associated with complete mental health among stroke survivors. Having a confidant and being free of chronic pain were important predictors. In contrast, a history of childhood maltreatment and a lifetime history of mental illness decreased one’s likelihood of achieving complete mental health after a stroke. Professor Esme Fuller-Thomson, lead author of the study and Sandra Rotman Endowed