Social Network Mapping and Functional Recovery Within 6 Months of Ischemic Stroke.
Amar Dhand, Catherine E Lang, Douglas A Luke and 7 others
PMID 31524080WHAT IT FOUND
Stroke survivors’ social networks shrank by an average of 1.25 people over six months.
However, having a larger network at baseline predicted better physical function at three and six months, independent of stroke severity, age, or depression.
Key findings
01Patients with larger social networks at the time of stroke had significantly better self-reported physical function at both three and six months post-stroke.
02Social networks contracted over time, losing an average of 1.25 people per patient over six months.
03The change in network size after stroke was not associated with physical function outcomes; only the baseline size mattered.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study excluded patients with moderate to severe strokes, aphasia, hemorrhagic stroke, and non-English speakers, so results may not apply to these groups. The cohort had generally mild strokes and low rates of comorbidities, which may limit generalizability to more complex clinical populations. Attrition occurred, with 139 of 172 patients retained at six months, though those who dropped out did not differ significantly from those who stayed. The study design is observational, so it cannot prove that larger networks cause better recovery, only that they are associated.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (N.I.H., Extramural).
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the contraction of social networks after stroke as a failure of rehabilitation or a sign of worsening health. The study found that networks naturally shrink and become denser, yet baseline network size, not the change in size, was the predictor of physical function.