A new study has found that women may have a harder time than men recovering from certain daily tasks after a common type of stroke.
The research, published in the journal Neurology, looked at people who had their first ischemic stroke—a type of stroke where blood flow to the brain is blocked. This is the most common kind of stroke.
The researchers followed over 1,000 stroke survivors, both men and women, for up to one year after their stroke. On average, participants were 66 years old. They were asked about how well they were doing at three different points: three months, six months, and 12 months after their stroke.
The study focused on how well people could perform everyday activities like eating, dressing, bathing, shopping, and driving. These tasks were rated on a scale where a higher number meant more difficulty.
Women had slightly higher scores than men, meaning they had a harder time with these tasks at all time points. For example, three months after the stroke, women had an average score of 2.39, while men had a score of 2.04.
The good news is that most women showed some improvement over time. Their scores went down slightly from three to twelve months, which suggests that their ability to do daily tasks got better. Men’s scores stayed about the same during the same time period.
Even after accounting for differences in age, race, education, and health insurance, the results stayed the same. Women still showed slightly worse recovery in these daily tasks compared to men. However, the researchers noted that the differences were small.
The study did not find any major differences between men and women in other areas of stroke recovery, such as basic brain functions like movement and communication. Both men and women improved in those areas over time.
Chen Chen, the lead author from the University of Michigan, said the findings suggest that doctors should pay closer attention to how well people are able to handle everyday tasks after a stroke, especially women. Chen suggested that checking these abilities more often could help reduce the differences in recovery between men and women.
The study also suggested that new treatments or support systems could focus on improving strength and helping people manage heavier tasks like lifting or housework—areas where women in the study seemed to struggle the most.
One limitation of the study is that the researchers didn’t have information on how much stroke rehabilitation the patients received. Rehabilitation can make a big difference in recovery, so not having this data makes it harder to fully understand the results.
Still, the study helps us better understand how men and women may experience stroke recovery differently. With this knowledge, health professionals can tailor care to help all patients regain their independence more fully.
If you care about stroke, please read studies about how to eat to prevent stroke, and diets high in flavonoids could help reduce stroke risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and wild blueberries can benefit your heart and brain.
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