Study Background and Disease Burden
Ischemic stroke remains a leading cause of long-term disability worldwide, with substantial physical, cognitive, and emotional sequelae. Beyond traditional motor and sensory impairments, many stroke survivors face invisible challenges such as cognitive deficits, anxiety, depression, and limited societal participation, all of which critically affect quality of life (QoL). Despite awareness of these issues, current evidence guiding systematic screening and management of post-stroke emotional and cognitive problems is limited. There remains an unmet clinical need to determine whether structured screening and intervention can effectively enhance rehabilitation outcomes, especially societal re-engagement after ischemic stroke in patients not receiving inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation services.
