Dataset Information

Longer-term needs of stroke survivors with communication difficulties living in the community: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To review and synthesise qualitative literature relating to the longer-term needs of community dwelling stroke survivors with communication difficulties including aphasia, dysarthria and apraxia of speech.

Design

Systematic review and thematic synthesis.

Method

We included studies employing qualitative methodology which focused on the perceived or expressed needs, views or experiences of stroke survivors with communication difficulties in relation to the day-to-day management of their condition following hospital discharge. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, The Cochrane Library, International Bibliography of the Social Sciences and AMED and undertook grey literature searches. Studies were assessed for methodological quality by two researchers independently and the findings were combined using thematic synthesis.

Results

Thirty-two studies were included in the thematic synthesis. The synthesis reveals the ongoing difficulties stroke survivors can experience in coming to terms with the loss of communication and in adapting to life with a communication difficulty. While some were able to adjust, others struggled to maintain their social networks and to participate in activities which were meaningful to them. The challenges experienced by stroke survivors with communication difficulties persisted for many years poststroke. Four themes relating to longer-term need were developed: managing communication outside of the home, creating a meaningful role, creating or maintaining a support network and taking control and actively moving forward with life.

Conclusions

Understanding the experiences of stroke survivors with communication difficulties is vital for ensuring that longer-term care is designed according to their needs. Wider psychosocial factors must be considered in the rehabilitation of people with poststroke communication difficulties. Self-management interventions may be appropriate to help this subgroup of stroke survivors manage their condition in the longer-term; however, such approaches must be designed to help survivors to manage the unique psychosocial consequences of poststroke communication difficulties.

SUBMITTER: Wray F

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5640038 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Longer-term needs of stroke survivors with communication difficulties living in the community: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies.

Wray Faye F Clarke David D

BMJ open 20171006 10

<h4>Objective</h4>To review and synthesise qualitative literature relating to the longer-term needs of community dwelling stroke survivors with communication difficulties including aphasia, dysarthria and apraxia of speech.<h4>Design</h4>Systematic review and thematic synthesis.<h4>Method</h4>We included studies employing qualitative methodology which focused on the perceived or expressed needs, views or experiences of stroke survivors with communication difficulties in relation to the day-to-da ...[more]

PMID: 28988185

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Project description:IntroductionStroke is a leading cause of disability worldwide. The average hospital length of stay ranges from 3 to 28 days, and after discharge home the stroke survivors will live with physical, cognitive, even psychological disorders for the rest of their lives. It is essential to review the unmet needs of stroke survivors.Methods and analysisA systematic review of previous quantitative and qualitative studies reporting the unmet needs of stroke survivors in their homes will be conducted. The following six databases will be searched from inception to December 2018 for relevant articles: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, SCOPUS and China Biology Medicine. We will include studies limited to human and published in English or Chinese, and the patients with stroke should discharge home rather than any other professional organisations including nursing homes or community rehabilitation units and so on. Data of quantitative research will be standardised for comparison, thematic analysis will be used for qualitative data and a narrative synthesis and pooled analysis of the main outcomes will be reported.Ethics and disseminationThis review will be submitted to an international professional journal, and the detailed search strategies and analysis flowchart will be openly included as supplements. This study does not require ethical approval as no patient's identifiable data will be used. Our findings will give a new look at the aspect of stroke survivors' unmet needs in their long-term recovery stage, especially the trajectories of unmet needs at different timepoints. What is more, this review will demonstrate the long-term unmet needs of stroke survivors from different countries, will compare any variations between high-income and low-income regions, and the geographical differences of needs will be mapped if necessary. We will endeavour to provide as much information as possible to healthcare professionals and public health policy makers in order to promote further medical reform.Trial registration numberCRD42018112181.

Project description:IntroductionThe need to improve the quality of community mental health services for people with Complex Emotional Needs (CEN) (who may have a diagnosis of 'personality disorder') is recognised internationally and has become a renewed policy priority in England. Such improvement requires positive engagement from clinicians across the service system, and their perspectives on achieving good practice need to be understood.AimTo synthesise qualitative evidence on clinician perspectives on what constitutes good practice, and what helps or prevents it being achieved, in community mental health services for people with CEN.MethodsSix bibliographic databases were searched for studies published since 2003 and supplementary citation tracking was conducted. Studies that used any recognised qualitative method and reported clinician experiences and perspectives on community-based mental health services for adults with CEN were eligible for this review, including generic and specialist settings. Meta-synthesis was used to generate and synthesise over-arching themes across included studies.ResultsTwenty-nine papers were eligible for inclusion, most with samples given a 'personality disorder' diagnosis. Six over-arching themes were identified: 1. The use and misuse of diagnosis; 2. The patient journey into services: nowhere to go; 3. Therapeutic relationships: connection and distance; 4. The nature of treatment: not doing too much or too little; 5. Managing safety issues and crises: being measured and proactive; 6. Clinician and wider service needs: whose needs are they anyway? The overall quality of the evidence was moderate.DiscussionThrough summarising the literature on clinician perspectives on good practice for people with CEN, over-arching priorities were identified on which there appears to be substantial consensus. In their focus on needs such as for a long-term perspective on treatment journeys, high quality and consistent therapeutic relationships, and a balanced approach to safety, clinician priorities are mainly congruent with those found in studies on service user views. They also identify clinician needs that should be met for good care to be provided, including for supervision, joint working and organisational support.

Dataset Information

Longer-term needs of stroke survivors with communication difficulties living in the community: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies.

Objective

Design

Method

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Longer-term needs of stroke survivors with communication difficulties living in the community: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies.

Similar Datasets

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