Although long-term stroke survivors commonly suffer from depression, a new report indicates that few receive treatment for the condition.

Australian researchers studied 289 five-year stroke survivors with an average age of 74. Seventeen percent were diagnosed as depressed; 22% of that subgroup were taking antidepressants.

Depression after a stroke has been linked to reduced quality of life and increased risk of death, researchers note. They encourage better education and improved efforts to identify and treat depression in long-term stroke survivors. The study is reported in the journal Stroke.