Syftet med studien var att beskriva hur anhöriga upplevde att deras dagliga liv påverkades av att vara anhörigvårdare till en strokedrabbad person och vilken effekt riktade sjuksköterskeinterventioner hade för anhörigvårdarna. Studien genomfördes som en litteraturstudie. Databaser som användes var PubMed, Cinahl och Scopus. Resultatet visade att många anhörigvårdare upplevde oro och stress i olika situationer och detta skapade begränsningar i deras dagliga liv. Anhörigvårdarnas psykiska och fysiska hälsa påverkades av att vårda sin anhörig. Relationen mellan anhörigvårdaren och den strokedrabbade upplevdes förändrad efter stroke både till det positiva och det negativa. Anhörigvårdare som fick ett stöd- och utbildningsprogram från sjuksköterskan fick en ökad livskvalité och bättre kunskap kring stroke. Även då praktisk träning kombinerades med stöd- och utbildningsprogram ökade livskvalitén. De anhörigvårdare som fick ett anpassat utskrivningsprogram och sedan fick uppföljning kunde bättre prioritera de dagliga aktiviteterna men deras livskvalité blev inte bättre. Slutsats: Anhörigas dagliga liv påverkades av att vara anhörigvårdare till en strokedrabbad person till både det positiva och negativa. När sjuksköterskeinterventioner gavs ökade anhörigvårdarnas livskvalité, välbefinnande och de gav vård av bättre kvalitet.

Thesis (M.A. (Health Social Science))--Mahidol University, 2008. / LICL has E-Thesis 0039 ; please contact computer services.

Bakgrund: I Sverige insjuknar varje år ungefär 25000 människor i stroke för första gången. Ungefär 40 procent av de som överlever en stroke får kvarstående funktionedsättningar, vilka påverkar deras vardag och försämrar livskvaliteten. En vanlig komplikation är hjärntrötthet, vilket innebär en förlamande trötthet som plötslig uppstår, där energin tar slut och som det inte går att vila sig ifrån. Hjärntrötthet leder ofta till frustration hos personen inte minst på grund av bristande förståelse från omgivningen. Syfte: Att beskriva patienters erfarenheter av att leva med hjärntrötthet efter stroke Metod: En litteraturöversikt genomfördes där 15 artiklar med kvalitativ ansats analyserade med hjälp av Fribergs femstegsmodell. Resultat: Analysen av materialet resulterade i tre huvudkategorier: Förändring i vardagen, Förändring av jaget och Hantering av den nya vardagen. Hjärntrötthet har en stor inverkan på personens liv, det innebär att hjärntrötthet påverkar vardagen även sociala sammanhang, de upplever frustration för den förlorad identitet och förminskad självbild. De behöver information och stöd för att kunna hantera symtomet, minska lidandet, öka självkänslan och få kontroll av sin sjukdom. Slutsats: Sjuksköterskor bör informera personer om hjärntrötthetens påverkan i persons liv men sjuksköterskor ska även stödja, uppmuntra och ge råd till hjärntrötthetsdrabbade patienter för att de ska utveckla egna strategier som kan underlätta symtomen samt minska komplikationer.

Magister Scientiae (Physiotherapy) - MSc(Physio) / Background and aim: Despite the high number of strokes globally, and among people of African origin in particular, there are few available data on stroke in most countries of sub-Saharan African (SSA), including Tanzania. In addition, the profile and challenges affecting stroke patients in these countries has not been adequately explored. The aim of this study was to determine the profile and explore the challenges experienced by stroke patients admitted at Haydom Lutheran Hospital in Tanzania. The objectives of the study were to determine the documented risk factors among the patients admitted to Haydom Lutheran Hospital, to identify the stroke on-set admission interval and length of hospital stay, to identify the process of physiotherapy for the stroke patients, and to explore the challenges experienced by stroke patients discharged from Haydom Lutheran Hospital, Tanzania. Methods: Qualitative and quantitative research designs were used to collect the data. The quantitative design used a retrospective descriptive study, in which medical records of stroke patients were reviewed. The qualitative approach included in-depth interviews to collect information regarding the challenges experienced by stroke patients residing in Haydom, Tanzania. Existing medical records were perused to obtain information related to demographic profile, medical characteristics and rehabilitation data among stroke patients admitted at Haydom Lutheran Hospital. Relevant data was captured on a data information sheet. The SPSS (14.0 version) and Microsoft Excel (2007) were used to analyse quantitative data. Descriptive Statistics were used to determine ranges, percentages, frequencies, means and standard deviations calculate. The qualitative interviews were transcribed verbatim and also translated from Kiswahili to English. Stated concepts were coded, grouped into categories, and reduced into sub-themes and main themes. Prior to conducting this study, final permission was obtained from the Senate Research Grant and Study Leave Committee at the University of the Western Cape as well as the relevant authorities of the Tanzania Ministry of Health, Tanzanian National Institute of Medical Research, and the Administration of Haydom Lutheran Hospital. Written informed consent were obtained from the participants prior to interviews. Results: A total number of 145 stroke patients were admitted to Haydom Hospital between 1st January 2004 and 31st December 2010. However, only 128 of the potential sample participants met the inclusion criteria for the sample. The mean age of the participants was 57.7years, (SD=18.673). Of these, 104 (81.2%) had haemorrhagic stroke and 24(18.7%) had ischemic strokes. HIV infection (78.1%), previous stroke (74.2%), smoking (58.5%) and hypertension (55.4%) were the most common risk factors for stroke. Among the participants, the documented impairments included emotional impairments 42(32.8%), speech impairment 47(36.7%), cognitive impairment 39(30.4%), muscle impairment 36(28.1%), and occurrence of coma 33(25.8%) respectively. The mean time from onset of stroke to admission was 1.2 days with (SD=0.42 days). The mean length of hospital stay was 12.16 days (SD=4.1 days), the majority (61.7%), started physiotherapy within 3 days after admission, mean duration of physiotherapy was 14.1 days (SD=5.79), and the mean number sessions of physiotherapy 3.7days (SD=18.8 days). The challenges that emerged during the qualitative interviews with participants were limitation in walking activities, inability to return to work and to participate in leisure activities as before the onset of stroke, and environmental factors such as physical barriers and attitude of family. Conclusion: The findings of the research reveal that stroke in Tanzanian patients occurs at a relatively young age, and that frequency of intra-cerebral haemorrhage is higher than that reported in developed countries. The clinical presentations and risk factors are similar to those in other studies. The qualitative findings revealed that the stroke patients had problems with limitation of activity, participation restrictions, and environmental challenges. They also expressed uncertainties as a result of a lack of knowledge about stroke and its effects, and discharge challenges relating to rehabilitation. These challenges should be addressed in the process of management of patients with stroke in the research setting.

Magister Scientiae (Physiotherapy) - MSc(Physio) / Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Individuals with stroke often face functional limitations. There are several factors that are associated with functional outcome post stroke. Treatment in a stroke unit with a multidisciplinary approach reduces the likelihood of dependency after stroke. The aim of the present study is to identify factors influencing functional outcome of stroke patients admitted to a South African tertiary hospital. A descriptive, observational, longitudinal quantitative study design was used to obtain the data. Convenience non-probability sampling method was used. The research instruments used to collect the data were National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Barthel Index and a socio-demographic and medical profile data form. All the instruments were used at admission and discharge while at two months only Barthel Index was used for data collection. The data analysis was done using SPSS v 18 and SAS v 9. Mean, standard deviation, range and percentages were used for descriptive purposes and Tobit analysis was used to determine the association between independent and dependent variables. The descriptive results showed that the mean age was 59.83 years with number of females slightly more than males and hypertension being the most common risk factor. The results of the quantitative analysis revealed four factors that influence functional outcome at either discharge or at two months: age, severity of stroke, functional level at admission. Age and severity of stroke influenced the functional outcome at both the stages. The necessary ethical clearance was obtained in prior to commencement of the study. The outcomes of the study could contribute to enhance rehabilitation of stroke patients at an inpatient settings and awareness among population.

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a major cause of death and disability in the United States. With advancements in therapeutic reperfusion, it has become clear that improving time-to-treatment is among the most important factors in yielding better outcomes for patients. When AIS occurs in the community, away from readily available interventions, timely recognition and transport are paramount to decreasing the time-to-treatment and ultimately increasing rates of reperfusion and reducing morbidity and mortality. Over the past several years, investigations have launched studying the efficacy of mobile stroke units (MSU) in reducing the morbidity and mortality burden of AIS. MSUs are specially designed transport vehicles, run by trained expert stroke management personnel, and stocked with diagnostic imaging equipment in the form of computed tomography scanners and fibrinolytic therapy. In a number of prospective study designs comparing MSUs to standard management by emergency medical services, researchers have utilized several endpoints including time-to-treatment, rates of symptom resolution, and long-term recovery from AIS. These studies have generally demonstrated better outcomes with MSUs and provided evidence for the efficacy of the MSU model in treating AIS. However, most studies have been limited to metropolitan regions of the country, and no randomized-controlled trials have been completed, although one is currently underway. There is little evidence, however, evaluating the cost-effectiveness of MSUs in the management of AIS. The expense of constructing and operating these specialized vehicles over ten years has been estimated to be millions of dollars, while the cost of a single case of AIS can range anywhere from the cost of the emergency department visit to the inclusion of long-term care from resultant sequelae depending on the patient outcome. It remains unclear to what degree the upfront investment in quicker management for AIS is capable of producing downstream cost savings for the healthcare system in the setting of demonstrated improved outcomes. In this study, I propose a method of cost-effectiveness analysis to compare the MSU model to standard management of AIS occurring in metropolitan communities to determine whether MSUs are cost-effective, or possibly cost-saving.

Thesis (Sc.D.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / Therapy to restore functional movement of stroke patients is based on assumptions about what deficits occur in motor control as a result of stroke. These assumptions are derived from observational studies of movement behavior. The success of therapy to restore voluntary movement has been limited, perhaps as a result of insufficient information concerning the characteristics of movement post stroke. Technology now exists to quantitatively describe the characteristics of movement behavior. In this study WATSMARTtm, a non-contact, optoelectric motion analysis system, was used in combination with surface electromyography to measure voluntary movement in the symptomatic and nonsymptomatic arms of five subjects with left hemiparesis as they attempted to reach to one of three targets placed to require movement inside and outside of extensor synergy. Each subject was tested five times over approximately a nine week period. Results indicated that the symptomatic arms were significantly less able to generate muscular activity and to move in a smooth coordinated way [execute the program] than the nonsymptomatic arms whose scores were essentially within normal limits. Target location made no significant difference to the speed or smoothness of movement, but did significantly affect level of muscle activity because of the biomechanical demands of each location. Over the two month period, there were no significant improvements in the nonaffected arms, as would be expected. In the affected arms, amplitude of peak velocity and sense of limb position significantly improved. Improved amplitude of peak velocity was related more to a decrease in the discontinuity of movement (r=-.49, p<.02), a sign of increased maturity of reach, than to electrical activity of the prime movers (anterior deltoid: r=.l9; biceps: r =.37, p<.05). Since the goals of therapy to restore functional movement are to reverse deficient aspects of movement, the findings suggest that strengthening and relearning of motor programs would be appropriate therapeutic goals for these patients. The effectiveness of therapy to actually reverse these deficits must, of course, be established in future studies. / 2031-01-01

Background A variety of tests are used in clinical practice to help the diagnostic process and so improve patient care. Many aspects of stroke management depend on accurate and rapid diagnosis. Brain imaging, including CT or MRI, is necessary to identify the location and extent of the cerebral lesion, and to determine the pathological type of stroke and its likely cause. Current treatments - such as thrombolysis - for ischaemic stroke have increased the need for clear evidence on which imaging test is optimal for diagnosis in the acute phase of stroke. Systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy may provide evidence on the best use of a diagnostic test in clinical practice and help clinicians to decide among alternative tests. The Cochrane Collaboration has recently included systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy within its remit. However, to prepare Cochrane systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy is challenging because the methods for such reviews are still in a state of flux. Materials and methods The research work undertaken for this thesis addresses four relevant methodological aspects of such reviews and, I hope, will contribute to informing the development of the methods for Cochrane systematic reviews of test accuracy: i) I assessed the quality of reporting of imaging studies in stroke medicine published between 1995 and 2008 with the current STAndards for the Reporting of Diagnostic accuracy studies (STARD) criteria; ii) I assessed the magnitude of publication bias in diagnostic accuracy studies in stroke medicine, by reviewing all diagnostic abstracts presented at two international stroke meetings between 1995 and 2004 and so evaluating the characteristics and findings of the identified abstracts; iii) I have evaluated the methods for preparing reviews of test accuracy by undertaking a pilot review according to the draft recommendations of the Cochrane Diagnostic Test Accuracy Working Group; iv) I conducted a survey to assess a) how well clinicians and health professionals interpret findings of Cochrane systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy presented in summary documents; and b) what is the best format for summarising findings of Cochrane reviews of diagnostic accuracy. Conclusions In conclusion, methodological issues concerning the validity and reliability of findings of studies included in systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy remain of fundamental importance. More empirical evidence is needed to address potential biases such as reporting bias and publication bias. To allow dissemination of diagnostic reviews findings in clinical practice better ways of communicating main characteristics and key results of systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy should be considered. In the current literature, the quality of reporting and methodological quality of imaging studies for the diagnosis of stroke is less than satisfactory and leaves room for improvement. This is worrying, especially if current health imaging policies are in fact based on poor quality evidence and hence scarce health resources may not being deployed as effectively as they could be.

No description available.

Introduktion: Stroke är ett vanligt förekommande sjukdomstillstånd som kan ge livslånga funktionsnedsättningar som följd. Sjuksköterskor spelar en betydande roll i omvårdnaden samt i främjandet av god återhämtning hos patienter som drabbats av stroke. Syfte: Belysa sjuksköterskors upplevelser av att vårda patienter som drabbats av stroke. Metod: En litteraturstudie utfördes som utgick från Polit och Beck´s (2012) niostegsmodell. Litteratursökningen utfördes i databaserna Cinahl och PubMed, som resulterade i tio vetenskapliga artiklar som genomgick en kvalitetsgranskning utifrån Polit och Beck’s (2012) granskningsmallar. Resultat: Två huvudkategorier hittades: Organisationen har betydelse med underkategorierna Samarbete, Sjuksköterskans roll, Sjuksköterskans kompetens samt Tidsbrist. Omvårdnaden är komplex med underkategorierna Svårigheter och utmaningar, Relation med patient och anhörig och Prioriterade åtgärder. Slutsats: Sjuksköterskorna upplevde kunskapsbrist, tidsbrist, underbemanning, samarbetssvårigheter samt oklarheter kring sin roll. Positiva aspekter som lyftes fram var bra samarbete och kommunikation inom vårdteamet samt betydelsen av tillgång till erfaren personal inom strokesjukvård. Sjuksköterskorna belyste även prioriterade omvårdnadsåtgärder samt viktiga aspekter vid bemötande av patienter som drabbats av stroke.