Abstract: Objective To explore the effect of family support system on depression and the quality of life of stroke patients. Methods 64 stroke patients were divided into observation group (n=32) and control group (n=32). Both groups accepted neurological medicine and conventional rehabilitation, and the observation group received family support additionally. The depression condition and the quality of life were accessed with Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) and The World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL)-100 respectively before and 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 8 weeks after treatment. Results The scores of HAMD were significantly lower in the observation group than in the control group (P<0.01), the scores of WHOQOL-100 were significantly higher in the observation group than in the control group after treatment (P<0.01). Conclusion The family support system can alleviate the depression and improve the quality of life of stroke patients.

Key words: stroke, family support, quality of life, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, The World Health Organization Quality of Life