Studies of poststroke quality of life (QOL) have not consistently identified which factors are most likely to independently influence the physical and mental aspects of QOL. In this study, we sought to identify which sociodemographic, comorbid disease conditions, and disability factors independently influenced the physical and mental aspects of poststroke QOL.

We completed a cross-sectional study of 666 US adults with a history of stroke from the 2007 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). We used sequentially built multiple linear regression models to identify sociodemographic, comorbidity, and stroke-related disability factors that independently affected short form-12 (SF-12) physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores. STATA software (version 10; StataCorp LP, College Station, TX) was used to perform the analysis to account for the complex survey design of the MEPS.

In fully adjusted models using a nationally representative sample of US adults, being non-Hispanic black (β = 3.58), 45 to 64 years of age (β = −3.48), 65 years of age or older (β = −2.90), married (β = −3.50), middle (β = 2.78) and high income (β = 3.73), or having hypertension (β = −2.25), cardiovascular disease (β = −2.05), arthritis (β = −4.49), depression (β = −2.98), physical limitations (β = −7.60), social limitations (β = −4.12), and a need for assistance with instrumental activities of daily living (β = −4.49) were independently correlated with PCS scores. Being 45 to 64 years of age (β = 3.96), depressed (β = −15.92), or having social limitations (β = −3.62) were independently correlated with MCS scores.

Sociodemographic, comorbidity, and stroke-related disability factors have differential effect on physical and mental aspects of QOL in poststroke patients.