Impact of post-stroke fatigue on self-efficacy and functional ability

Introduction: Fatigue is a multidimensional construct that seems relatively common after stroke. Examination of its characteristics and relationship with other factors such as functional ability and self-efficacy may assist the development of future intervention strategies. Methods: Participants with stroke were recruited from community stroke groups. The presence or absence of fatigue was measured with the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI). Demographic details, functional ability (Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living scale, NEADL) and self-efficacy (Stroke Self-efficacy Questionnaire, SSEQ) scores in the Fatigue and No Fatigue groups were compared. The complexity of post-stroke fatigue (PSF) was also evaluated by examination of the five individual dimensions of the MFI. Results: Fifty-five chronic stroke (> 1 year post-stroke) survivors participated in this study. Prevalence of PSF was 49.1%. No relationship was found between the presence of fatigue and socio-demographic details. Fatigue was negatively correlated with NEADL (r = -0.32; p = 0.016) and SSEQ scores (r = -0.43; p = 0.001). Physical Fatigue was the most common type of PSF (69.6%) closely followed by Activity-related Fatigue (67.9%) and Mental Fatigue (62%). Conclusion: A relationship exists between PSF, self-efficacy and functional ability. The prevalence of both Physical and Mental Fatigue reflects the multidimensional nature of PSF. Future research should address the implementation of self-efficacy-based interventions to reduce fatigue.