The Correlation between Perceived Social Support and Hope of Stroke Survivors

뇌졸중 환자가 지각하는 사회적 지지와 희망과의 관계

A Cerebrovascular accident(CVA), or Stroke is a medical emergency that occurred when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted or blocked. The stroke causes physical function disorder due to hemiparalysis and emotional disorder. Also the stroke patients experience helplessness, powerlessness, sense of alienation and loss of hope. These feelings make the rehabilitation difficult because they lose the will of life. The purpose of this study is to identify the correlation between perceived social support and hope of stroke survivors. The subjects for this study were 100 out-patients with stroke in one general hospital and oriental medicine hospital located in Mokpo. The data were analysed by frequency, t-test, ANOVA. Duncan test, Pearson's correlation, using the SPSS WIN 9.0 program. Data were collected from July 11 to September 9, 2000, using a structured questionnaire. The instruments used for this study : The social support scale developed by Park, Ji-won(1985) and the hope scale developed by Miller(1988). The results were as follows. 1. It was found that the higher the degree of perceived social support, the higher the degree of hope(r=.726, p=.000). Therefore hypothesis was supported. 2. The mean score of perceived social support was 77.8(SD=21.0) with a score range from 27.0 to 104.0. 3. The mean score of perceived hope was 117.0(SD=25.7) with a score range from 57.0 to 160.0. 4. The level of social support depending on general characteristics were significantly different in variables such as marital status(t=3.131, p=.010). degree of income satisfaction(F=16.027, p=.000). 5. The level of hope depending on general characteristics were significantly different in variables such as marital status(t=2.681, p=.040). current job(t=-2.055, p=.043) degree of income, satisfaction(F=11.363, p=.000). For these subjects, there was a significant relationship between social support and hope. The stroke survivors need social support to inspire their hope. Nurses should plan interventions to enhance social support for patients with stroke. The above results may be used as the basic data to seek more efficient way of elevating nursing practice and rehabilitation for the patients with stroke.