Experiences and perceptions of stroke patients living with dysphagia: A qualitative meta‐synthesis

Abstract

Aims To systematically review and synthesise the findings of qualitative research exploring experiences of dysphagia from stroke patients' perspectives. Background Poststroke patients with dysphagia are suffering from impaired physical functions and heavy psychological burden, and they are living with compromised quality of life. Through synthesising qualitative studies to fully portrait the experiences of poststroke patients living with dysphagia, we can care better for this population. Design A systematic review and synthesis of qualitative studies reported by following ENTREQ. Review Methods Five electronic databases (CINAHL, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane Library) and three Chinese databases (CNKI, VIP and Wanfang) were searched from inception until January 2021. Qualitative studies were included if they were related to the experiences of poststroke patients with dysphagia. The Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI‐QARI) was used to appraise study quality. Data were synthesised using the Thomas and Harden method thematic and content analysis. Results Five studies were included in the meta‐synthesis. Four analytical themes were identified: life changes after dysphagia, coping with social events, rebuilding a normal life and limited professional services. Conclusions More attention should be given to psychological health and social interaction in poststroke dysphagia patients. Healthcare professionals, especially nurses, should make joint efforts to provide patients with dysphagia‐related knowledge and long‐term individualised support. To improve the quality of life of dysphagia patients, further research should implement high‐quality interventions based on dysphagia experience and clinical treatment. Relevance to clinical practice These findings outline the changes in poststroke patients with dysphagia. Nurses as the first‐line force, should deliver comprehensive and individualised intervention for managing physiological and psychosocial symptoms of patients.

The experience of eating for older nursing home residents with dysphagia: A qualitative descriptive study

“…Our findings are similar to those of previous studies conducted in Western countries for how community‐dwelling older adults adjust to living with dysphagia (Howells et al, 2021; Li et al, 2022). We found that NH residents adjusted to the irregular cough resulting from dysphagia by making sure they had some sort of liquid available, cutting food into smaller pieces, eating more slowly or having someone pat them to avoid choking.…”

“…A qualitative meta‐synthesis of five qualitative studies on stroke patients with dysphagia identified five themes describing their experiences: life changes after dysphagia, coping with social events, rebuilding a normal life and limited professional services (Li et al, 2022). The authors suggested management of psychological and physical health was needed for these patients.…”

Development and modification of a dysphagia question prompt list to improve patient‐physician communication: Incorporating both esophageal expert and patient perspectives

“…Effective communication between patient and provider is imperative to minimize this medical burden and reduce uncertainty. It is recognized that patients lack the knowledge to self‐manage their dysphagia, and they also encounter difficulty obtaining adequate information about their dysphagia from healthcare providers 12 . QPLs have the potential to facilitate effective patient‐physician communication and provide the opportunity for improved patient experience and compliance.…”

Challenges and coping experiences faced by nursing staff in long-term care facilities in China: a qualitative meta-analysis

“…However, to our knowledge, qualitative research evidence has not been fully synthesized and analyzed. Quantitative systematic reviews emphasize the quantification of effects and relationships [such as correlations ( 30 ), acceptability ( 31 ), or the aggregation of influencing factors ( 32 )], while qualitative systematic reviews prioritize the exploration and understanding of complex phenomena [such as experiences ( 33 ), perspectives ( 34 ), or coping strategies ( 35 )]. Therefore, this study aims to analyze, from the perspective of nursing staff, the challenges and coping strategies faced in their work through the synthesis and integration of existing evidence.…”