Interaction effect of rehabilitation initiation timing and hospitalization frequency on long-term functional outcomes after stroke in rural China: a retrospective cohort study

Earlier initiation and greater frequency of inpatient rehabilitation were independently associated with better ADL outcomes at the 6-month mark in rural Chinese stroke survivors. Importantly, the benefit of each additional rehabilitation admission was amplified when therapy began within the first month post-stroke and diminished when initiation was delayed beyond two months, especially among patients with hemorrhagic stroke, aged ≥65 years, women, and those with higher educational attainment.