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. 2011 Dec;1(4):561-72.
doi: 10.1007/s13142-011-0070-y.

Implementation of a stroke self-management program: A randomized controlled pilot study of veterans with stroke

Teresa M Damush  1 , Susan Ofner, Zhangsheng Yu, Laurie Plue, Gloria Nicholas, Linda S Williams
Affiliations

Implementation of a stroke self-management program: A randomized controlled pilot study of veterans with stroke

Teresa M Damush et al. Transl Behav Med. 2011 Dec.

Abstract

Secondary stroke prevention is championed as guideline care; yet there are no systematic programs offered. We developed a stroke self-management program to address this gap and pilot test the program. We conducted a randomized controlled trial at two Veterans Administration (VA) hospital sites where we recruited patients with an acute stroke to receive either the stroke program or an attention-control protocol over a 12-week period following hospital discharge. The stroke program included six sessions that facilitated stroke self management focusing on increasing self-efficacy to recover from stroke and engage in secondary stroke risk factor management. We surveyed outcomes at baseline, 3 and 6 months. We conducted an intention to treat analysis comparing the intervention to the control group on changes of outcomes between baseline and follow-up modeled by a linear model with fixed effects for treatment, visit, and the treatment by visit interaction adjusting for baseline. We recruited 63 participants (33 control and 30 intervention) who were hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of ischemic stroke. We found trends in differences between groups on self-efficacy to communicate with physicians, weekly minutes spent in aerobic exercise, and on dimensions of stroke-specific quality of life. This pilot study demonstrated the feasibility of delivering a stroke self-management program to recent stroke survivors in a healthcare organization. The program also demonstrated improvements in patient self-efficacy, self-management behaviors, specific dimensions of stroke-specific quality of life compared to a group that received an attention placebo program.

Keywords: Behavioral interventions; Self-efficacy; Stroke health‐related quality of life.

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Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
Participant recruitment flow diagram
Fig 2
Fig 2
Self-efficacy to communicate with physician over 6 months
Fig 3
Fig 3
Stroke specific quality of life social role functioning over 6 months
Fig 4
Fig 4
Stroke specific quality of life family role functioning over 6 months
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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