Stroke Perceptions of Well Laypersons and Professional Caregivers

Abstract

Four of every five families in the United States will be affected by stroke at some point during the lifetimes of family members. Although its impact on these families has been explored, little is known about how people perceive stroke. Several studies have documented a variety of misconceptions about the condition. Therefore, we did a descriptive qualitative study to explore the perceptions of stroke among health care professionals and well laypersons. A convenience sample of 13 laypersons and 8 professional caregivers participated in focus groups of four to five persons. The major theme we identified was "enduring images" of stroke and its consequences. Participants described vivid negative images of stroke that were based on past experiences. Four subthemes also emerged: fear, shame, avoidance, and desire for control. Our findings support the need to further educate both professional and lay people about stroke risk factors, symptoms, treatment, and prognosis.

Actual vs best practice for families post-stroke according to three rehabilitation disciplines

“…Indeed, the regular presence of another per-son in the home has been identified as a major determinant of return home after stroke and prevention of institutionalization (2). However, undertaking the supportive role is a difficult one, with numerous studies reporting negative effects on the care partner including a sense of burden (3,4), feeling captive (5), psychological strain (6) including a fear of stroke recurrence (7), and, increased responsibilities and decreased leisure time (8). This dual role of families, as providers (9) and needers (10) of care, is increasingly addressed in the literature: a search on the terms "stroke and family" produced 171 articles in Medline from 1980 to 1989 and 918 since the year 2000.…”