Gender differences in self-report of recovery after stroke: the Northern Manhattan Study.

We compared subjective responses to simple questions after stroke with interviewer-assessed stroke outcome measures. Among those in the highest functional category, women were more likely to report incomplete recovery and greater need for help than men. Among these women, depressed mood was associated with a response of a need for help despite a good functional recovery. Self-reported responses in stroke outcome assessments require further validation by gender and may need to consider the confounding effects of depression.