Background: Stroke is currently the main cause of neurological disability in Nigeria. The impact of stroke can be devastating, leaving a person with significant residual impairment of physical, psychological, and social functions. The study aimed to measure the changes that occur in different dimensions of the health-related quality of life and to identify the factors that affect those changes over time among long term survivors.

Methods: This study was conducted at three stroke referral hospitals that are dedicated to the rehabilitation and neurologic disorders in Kano, Nigeria; Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Murtala Mohammad Specialist Hospital and Mohammad Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital. Participants’ recruitment began after approval was obtained from the Medical Ethics committee of the University of Malaya and the said hospitals. Patients with a diagnosis of stroke who were admitted or seen as outpatients at the neurology and physiotherapy clinics in these three hospitals between December 2010 and January 2012 were included in the study. A prospective longitudinal observation study was conducted in three hospitals of Kano state of Nigeria. The linguistic validated Hausa version of the Stroke Impact Scale, modified Rankin scale, Barthel Index and Beck Depression Inventory scales were used to measure the different dimensions of health-related quality of life. Paired samples t-test was used to calculate the amount of changes that occurs over time and the forward stepwise linear regression model was used to identify the factors that predict those changes in the physical, mental and social dimension of the health-related quality of life. Two hundred-thirty three stroke survivors participated who were followed up at 6 months after stroke. Among them, 217 stroke survivors were followed up at 1 year.

Results: The study found the significant improvement in neurological impairments and functional disability among stroke survivors during their recovery phase. It also found that involvement of family members as caregiver improves the functional status of the long term survivors.

Conclusion: The finding of this study supports drawing on existing resources including health services and rehabilitation, social relationship and support system to address individual’s identity. Thus this study generates the necessity of establishment of stroke rehabilitation facilities and services at every possible level and involvement of family members in the rehab process to give the best possible health-related quality of life to the stroke survivors during their post recovery period.

Key words: stroke, stroke survivors, health-related quality of life, rehabilitation