What do stroke survivors want in stroke education and information provision in Australia?

Abstract

Despite evidence that stroke education is important and effective, low rates of stroke education are reported worldwide. Many stroke survivors and carers report that current stroke information does not meet their needs. The aim of the current study was to explore the perceptions of stroke survivors and carers towards stroke education in an Australian health context. A qualitative descriptive approach using focus groups was used to explore education received and preferred content, format and timing of education. Data were analysed inductively using qualitative content analysis to identify key categories, sub‐categories and an overarching theme. Fifteen stroke survivors and four carers participated. Four categories emerged: the timing of stroke education, the content of stroke education, the format of stroke education, and reactions to stroke education. Each category contained a number of sub‐categories. One overarching theme was woven through the transcripts: everyone is different and has different needs. Overall, participants generally expressed positive attitudes towards stroke education. Participants reported that education should occur at multiple timepoints and in a mixed format. All participants reported receiving stroke education in hospital, but not in the community. Stroke survivors preferred group education, while carers did not share this preference. Both stroke survivors and carers desired information about post‐stroke physical changes and computer use; however, stroke survivors desired additional information spanning a variety of areas such as motivation and driving. Tailoring of stroke education for each individual is critical to ensure that education meets the needs of stroke survivors and carers from the hospital to the community.

Transitioning to home and beyond following stroke: a prospective cohort study of outcomes and needs

“…Information-sharing is crucial for seamless care transitions, improving efficiency and patient experience [ 41 ], however, the evidence for the effectiveness of information delivered at the transition to home is variable [ 14 ]. More recently it has been determined that information which is tailored to the individual, delivered in mixed formats and at multiple time-points, and with the person with stroke as an active participant, can impact post-stroke anxiety and patient satisfaction [ 42 , 43 ]. Participants identified a need for a dedicated keyworker/case manager to facilitate a more seamless transition.…”

Health knowledge after stroke in Switzerland: A survey on current practice and suggestions for the implementation of a technology-based educational program

“…The survey was addressed to healthcare professionals working in Swiss clinics and hospitals treating stroke patients. Topics considered interesting by stroke patients and their carers have been previously investigated (21,23), but for this survey healthcare professionals were chosen as target population. This approach was selected as they are experts in the eld and best know which type of information is useful for stroke patients to reduce the risk of recurrent strokes and should, therefore, be prioritized.…”

“…A question about this point was therefore added to the survey. Other questions related to how to implement an educational program using rehabilitation technology were based on literature identifying important factors to promote satisfaction and retention of such educational information (21,37) as well as practical aspects identi ed by the authors as critical for the implementation of such a program.…”

“…For example, they often take place in hospitals or clinics, which might not be ideal for out-patients, their frequency can be limited by the time availability of the healthcare professionals, they are not standardized across different institutions, and the information provided can be perceived as too di cult to understand due to the use of medical jargon (19). Self-education with the support of brochures, books, journals, or the internet might be another option (20,21), the advantage here being that these tools can be accessed anytime and from anywhere and do not require additional time from the healthcare professionals. Nevertheless, the information accessed via these tools is not personalized and the content might be too di cult to understand, misleading, or not trustworthy.…”

Encouraging Study in Health Sciences

“…Both male (lung cancer) and female (dementia) cases were prescribed, while the stroke case was developed to be staffed by a simulated patient of any gender depending on actor availability. In addition, stroke, 14 dementia, 15 and lung cancer 16 are among the most common presentations in the Australian healthcare system. Finally, each of the primary and allied health staff contributing to the teaching on the day were also experienced with dealing with these 3 presentations, whereas this may not have been the case if rarer or less common diseases or cases were chosen.…”