Background and Aims: About 25,000 people in Sweden suffer a stroke every year. Four-fifths of patients having a first-ever stroke are over 60 years of age. Stroke is the disease that causes the most hospital days in Sweden. The total costs of stroke have been estimated at SEK 18.3 billion per year. The aim of this study is to evaluate stroke survivors’ medical, functional and social situation, with focus on identifying possible improvements in rehabilitation, secondary prevention and social life.
Methods: Kumla municipality in Sweden, through its mixed population, size, and location, provides an opportunity for a cross-sectional study. 274 patients living with consequences of stroke have been identified so far. Physical tests, reviews of medical records, questionnaires about demographic data, assistive technology, quality of life, fatigue and cognition will be carried through. Data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and linear regression, to show relations between medical, functional and psychosocial variables. Patient´s experience of living with stroke will be examined with interviews.
Results: Expected Results: There are few studies examining the whole population of stroke victims within an area. The results will demographically describe the patients, what rehabilitation efforts have been given, their function and activity, medical status, social situation and quality of life. The result can be used to develop rehabilitation measures and to other improvements in stroke care.
Conclusions: Examining a whole stroke population, by including all living patients, may lead to more effective stroke rehabilitation and intervention studies focusing on stroke prevention and post-stroke rehabilitation.
Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia , 2020. Vol. 15, no Suppl. 1, p. 413-413
The Joint European Stroke Organisation and World Stroke Organization Conference (ESO-WSO 2020), Virtual Conference, November 7-9, 2020