Alex Delbridge, Julie Davey, Margaret Galloway, Avril Drummond, Lucette Lanyon, Natasha Olley, Gillian Mason, Coralie English, Dawn B Simpson
{"title":"Exploring post-stroke fatigue from the perspective of stroke survivors: what strategies help? A qualitative study.","authors":"Alex Delbridge, Julie Davey, Margaret Galloway, Avril Drummond, Lucette Lanyon, Natasha Olley, Gillian Mason, Coralie English, Dawn B Simpson","doi":"10.1080/09638288.2023.2266363","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Post-stroke fatigue is a research priority for stroke survivors and health professionals but there is limited evidence to guide management. We aimed to explore (1) the experience of post-stroke fatigue from the perspective of stroke survivors and their caregivers and (2) fatigue management strategies that are used.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>This was a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. People with self-reported post-stroke fatigue and caregivers were recruited using maximum variation sampling. Analysis was done via the framework approach.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We recruited 17 stroke survivors, nine male (53%), most under 65 years (<i>n</i> = 12, 76%), and greater than 1-year post-stroke (<i>n</i> = 16, 94%, range 10-months to 22-years). One-third of participants self-reported having aphasia (<i>n</i> = 5, 36%). We also recruited eight caregivers, most of whom were female (<i>n</i> = 7, 88%). We identified four themes: (1) <i>fatigue is unexpected after stroke and symptoms vary</i>; (2) <i>the individual experience of fatigue is complex, influenced by multifactorial and biopsychosocial factors</i>; (3) <i>learning to adapt and accept fatigue</i>; and (4) <i>Strategies to manage fatigue and personal approaches to rest</i>.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Post-stroke fatigue experience varies presenting cognitively, physically, and psychologically according to a complex interplay of biopsychosocial factors and personal triggers. Self-management strategies are individualised and include organisation, medications, lifestyle modifications, and peer support.</p>","PeriodicalId":50575,"journal":{"name":"Disability and Rehabilitation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.1000,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Disability and Rehabilitation","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2023.2266363","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2023/10/9 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"REHABILITATION","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose: Post-stroke fatigue is a research priority for stroke survivors and health professionals but there is limited evidence to guide management. We aimed to explore (1) the experience of post-stroke fatigue from the perspective of stroke survivors and their caregivers and (2) fatigue management strategies that are used.
Materials and methods: This was a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. People with self-reported post-stroke fatigue and caregivers were recruited using maximum variation sampling. Analysis was done via the framework approach.
Results: We recruited 17 stroke survivors, nine male (53%), most under 65 years (n = 12, 76%), and greater than 1-year post-stroke (n = 16, 94%, range 10-months to 22-years). One-third of participants self-reported having aphasia (n = 5, 36%). We also recruited eight caregivers, most of whom were female (n = 7, 88%). We identified four themes: (1) fatigue is unexpected after stroke and symptoms vary; (2) the individual experience of fatigue is complex, influenced by multifactorial and biopsychosocial factors; (3) learning to adapt and accept fatigue; and (4) Strategies to manage fatigue and personal approaches to rest.
Conclusions: Post-stroke fatigue experience varies presenting cognitively, physically, and psychologically according to a complex interplay of biopsychosocial factors and personal triggers. Self-management strategies are individualised and include organisation, medications, lifestyle modifications, and peer support.
期刊介绍:
Disability and Rehabilitation along with Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology are international multidisciplinary journals which seek to encourage a better understanding of all aspects of disability and to promote rehabilitation science, practice and policy aspects of the rehabilitation process.