22. European Stroke Conference 811 Rehabilitation and reorganisation after stroke An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Mild Stroke in Young Adults D. Desmond1, J. Hanney2, T. Coughlan3, D. O’Neill4, D.R. Collins5 Dept. of Psychology, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Maynooth, IRELAND1, Dept. of Psychology, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Maynooth, IRELAND2, Age-related Healthcare, William Stokes Unit, AMNCH, Dublin, IRELAND3, Age-related Healthcare, William Stokes Unit, AMNCH, Dublin, IRELAND4, Age-related Healthcare, William Stokes Unit, AMNCH, Dublin, IRELAND5 Background: The aim of this research was to explore the experience and consequences of stroke amongst young adults through semi-structured interviews and qualitative analysis. Method: Individuals aged between 18 and 50 years, who had experienced a mild stroke (modified Rankin Score < 3), and were at least three months post-stroke, were eligible for inclusion. Those with persistent dysphasia affecting ability to take part in an interview were excluded. Eleven indi-viduals (9 females) participated in the study. Accounts of their experiences were transcribed and an-alysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Results: Four super-ordinate themes emerged. Sudden and unexplained: will it happen again? which includes the trauma of initial diagnosis, the seeming impossibility of stroke at a young age and fear of stroke recurrence as a persistent and debilitating feature of participants’ lives. Changes in daily life which relates to the day-to-day impact of persistent cognitive impairments and fatigue. Trying to get better describes attitudes toward formal rehabilitation and support services and the emergence of social comparisons and benefit finding in adjusting to stroke. Finally, relationship changes encom-passes the positive and negative impacts of stroke on spousal relationships. Conclusion: Findings demonstrate the ongoing difficulties and negative impacts that even mild stroke has on young adults. Ongoing cognitive impairments were a major barrier to carrying out routine daily activities, suggesting a need for greater recognition of such impairments among reha-bilitation staff. Despite persistent difficulties, positive consequences of stroke were also reported. Insights gained in the current research contribute to a richer and more balanced understanding of the implications of stroke for young adults. 774 © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel Scientific Programme 812 Rehabilitation and reorganisation after stroke Research priorities relating to life after stroke: differences in the priorities of health profes-sionals and stroke survivors A. Pollock1, B. St George2 on behalf of the James Lind Alliance ‘Life after stroke’ Priority Setting Partnership Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UNITED KINGDOM1, Glasgow Caledonian Univer-sity, Glasgow, UNITED KINGDOM2 INTRODUCTION: The Top 10 research priorities relating to life after stroke have recently been identified in a rigorous priority setting project, agreed from 226 unanswered research questions gath-ered from stroke survivors, caregivers and health professionals. We aimed to compare the prioritisa-tion of these 226 research questions by stroke survivors and health professionals through retrospec-tive data analysis. METHODS: We gathered research questions from key stakeholders; checked submitted questions to identify those currently unanswered by research; used prioritization and consensus methods to reach agreement on a shared Top 10. Prioritization methods involved 42 stroke survivors and 55 health professionals selecting their personal top 10 from the 226 questions. DATA ANALYSIS: Unanswered research questions were sorted by content into representative cat-egories. Data for the personal top 10 priorities were used to objectively determine the combined ranked prioritisation for each of the 226 questions for stroke survivors and health professionals. We compared the ranked priorities of stroke survivors and health professionals, determining the number of questions in each category placed in the combined top 50. RESULTS: The Table shows the number of questions within key categories, and the placement of the combined top 50 questions of stroke survivors and health professionals. Key sub-categories within the largest category, ‘Impairment and disability’ included; communication (33/104), mobility and movement (23/104); and mood disorders (13/104). Comparisons of the prioritisation of stroke survivors and health professionals within these sub-categories revealed clear differences. Of the stroke survivors’ top 50, 26% related to communication, 8% to mobility and movement and 8% to mood disorders. This contrasted to 14%, 30% and zero for health professionals. CONCLUSION: Stroke survivors and health professionals differ in their prioritisation of research questions.
Karger_ESC London_2013
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