Predictors of not maintaining regular medical follow-up after stroke

Background Regular medical follow-up after stroke is important to reduce the risk of post-stroke complications and hospital readmission. Little is known about the factors associated with stroke survivors not maintaining regular medical follow-up. We sought to quantify the prevalence and predictors of stroke survivors not maintaining regular medical follow-up over time. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of stroke survivors in the National Health and Aging Trends Study (2011–2018), a national longitudinal sample of United States Medicare beneficiaries. Our primary outcome was not maintaining regular medical follow-up. We performed a cox regression to estimate predictors of not maintaining regular medical follow-up. Results There were 1330 stroke survivors included, 150 of whom (11.3%) did not maintain regular medical follow-up. Stroke survivor characteristics associated with not maintaining regular medical follow-up included not having restrictions in social activities (HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.41, 1.01 for having restrictions in social activities compared to not having restrictions in social activities), greater limitations in self-care activities (HR 1.13, 95% CI 1.03, 1.23), and probable dementia (HR 2.23, 95% CI 1.42, 3.49 compared to no dementia). Conclusions The majority of stroke survivors maintain regular medical follow-up over time. Strategies to retain stroke survivors in regular medical follow-up should be directed towards stroke survivors who do not have restrictions in social activity participation, those with greater limitations in self-care activities, and those with probable dementia.