Aim: The overall purpose of this thesis was to increase the understanding of relatives’ changing life situation during the first six months of a person’s onset of stroke, with focus on learning. Furthermore, the purpose was to evaluate theprinted education materials (PEM) targeted at relatives at Swedish stroke units. Method: In paper I, 16 relatives were interviewed about the meaning of becoming a relative of a person affected by stroke. In paper II, 9 relatives were reinterviewed about what it meant to be a relative of a person affected by stroke. The interviews took place six months after the stroke survivors’ onset of stroke. Data from the two studies were analyzed by Lindseth and Norberg’s hermeneutic phenomenological method of analysis, inspired by Ricoeur. In paper III, 16 and 9 relatives were interviewed about what they wanted to know and understand during the first six months after the onset of the survivors’ strokes. Krippendorff’s method of qualitative content analysis was used to analyse data. In paper IV, 42 PEM:s from 21 Swedish stroke units were examined. Data were analysed by use of descriptive statistics and Krippendorff’s method of qualitative content analysis. Results: Becoming the relative of a person affected by stroke means to experience chaos but also to reach a turning point. The turning point is the start of a febrile activity that shows the relatives’ willingness to seek order in the chaotic situation (I). Being the relative of a person affected by stroke also means to be in a struggle for freedom. Relatives do not want to adapt to the stroke or its consequences. Instead, they prefer to choose their own way of life and to write their own history. Therefore, they strive to integrate the stroke and its consequences to their everyday lives (II). The information that the relatives wished to have was about the stroke survivor, the professionals and themselves. Moreover, the results showed that the relatives’ information quest was related to personal involvement, contextual factors, different knowledge needs and different ways to obtain information (III). The PEM:s, offered at Swedish stroke units, were adequate in terms of quality of suitability and readability. The content of the printed education materials offered to relatives varies with the stroke units. Conclusion: To become a relative of a person affected by stroke means to end up in chaos, but also to reach a turning point (I). At this turning point the person is prepared to adjust arrange his/her life to the new conditions. Therefore, nurses need to learn to identify these turning points and include support for relatives in their changing life situation. Being a relative during the first six months of a survivor’s onset of stroke means to fight for freedom (II) without abandoning the stroke survivor. In this process, it is important that the relatives learn to balance freedom with responsibility and life and care for the survivor with relations to other relatives. Relatives are capable as they are active, committed and social persons (I, II, III). This is why alternative pedagogic methods and approached need to be developed and tested. Nurses need training in using such alternative methods. The content of the printed education materials offered to relatives at Swedish stroke units varies with the unit. As a result, it would be useful to establish a national electronic centre.

Hypotheses on the efficiency of evidence-based printed materials can be directed by health communication concepts. These concepts can provide a general framework that goes beyond the traditional vulgarization point of view: instead, it points towards a strategy to obtain health outcomes and provoke behavior change, from a disease prevention, management and health promotion perspective. The present study proposes a comprehensive framework based on concepts from health risk communication, Tarde's theory of social values, usability, readability and plain language. Using the mapping approach, an evaluation grid was applied to printed evidence-based materials with proven effectiveness, in order to reveal the underlying strategy and isolate the characteristics of effective materials. The results allowed us to define two types of printed evidence-based materials, according to the robustness of the evidence they contain and the target audience. It was also possible to identify indicators of notions that are translated into operationalized items, frequent in those materials that might be responsible for their efficiency: clear purpose of the documents, limited scope, learning motivation and correspondence to the logic, experience and language of readers. Effectiveness of printed evidence-based materials could also be correlated to numeracy, objectiveness, standard definitions, constant timeframes and denominators, risks enumerated in order of importance, effective response, and high degree of threat, urgency, novelty and visibility of the disease. It was also possible to identify some missing communication concepts: cultural diversity, narrative, increased easiness of procedures and aesthetic advantage for the patient. In the process of work, the theory of social values emerged as a dynamic component that can bring together and explain many concepts, as well as physician’s acceptance of the guidelines. Value in terms of usefulness and truth plays a major role in cognitive appreciation of the documents. This concept gives a strategic meaning to the whole work and allows us to better understand attitude and behavior change.

Hypotheses on the efficiency of evidence-based printed materials can be directed by health communication concepts. These concepts can provide a general framework that goes beyond the traditional vulgarization point of view: instead, it points towards a strategy to obtain health outcomes and provoke behavior change, from a disease prevention, management and health promotion perspective. The present study proposes a comprehensive framework based on concepts from health risk communication, Tarde's theory of social values, usability, readability and plain language. Using the mapping approach, an evaluation grid was applied to printed evidence-based materials with proven effectiveness, in order to reveal the underlying strategy and isolate the characteristics of effective materials. The results allowed us to define two types of printed evidence-based materials, according to the robustness of the evidence they contain and the target audience. It was also possible to identify indicators of notions that are translated into operationalized items, frequent in those materials that might be responsible for their efficiency: clear purpose of the documents, limited scope, learning motivation and correspondence to the logic, experience and language of readers. Effectiveness of printed evidence-based materials could also be correlated to numeracy, objectiveness, standard definitions, constant timeframes and denominators, risks enumerated in order of importance, effective response, and high degree of threat, urgency, novelty and visibility of the disease. It was also possible to identify some missing communication concepts: cultural diversity, narrative, increased easiness of procedures and aesthetic advantage for the patient. In the process of work, the theory of social values emerged as a dynamic component that can bring together and explain many concepts, as well as physician’s acceptance of the guidelines. Value in terms of usefulness and truth plays a major role in cognitive appreciation of the documents. This concept gives a strategic meaning to the whole work and allows us to better understand attitude and behavior change.

Hypotheses on the efficiency of evidence-based printed materials can be directed by health communication concepts. These concepts can provide a general framework that goes beyond the traditional vulgarization point of view: instead, it points towards a strategy to obtain health outcomes and provoke behavior change, from a disease prevention, management and health promotion perspective. The present study proposes a comprehensive framework based on concepts from health risk communication, Tarde's theory of social values, usability, readability and plain language. Using the mapping approach, an evaluation grid was applied to printed evidence-based materials with proven effectiveness, in order to reveal the underlying strategy and isolate the characteristics of effective materials. The results allowed us to define two types of printed evidence-based materials, according to the robustness of the evidence they contain and the target audience. It was also possible to identify indicators of notions that are translated into operationalized items, frequent in those materials that might be responsible for their efficiency: clear purpose of the documents, limited scope, learning motivation and correspondence to the logic, experience and language of readers. Effectiveness of printed evidence-based materials could also be correlated to numeracy, objectiveness, standard definitions, constant timeframes and denominators, risks enumerated in order of importance, effective response, and high degree of threat, urgency, novelty and visibility of the disease. It was also possible to identify some missing communication concepts: cultural diversity, narrative, increased easiness of procedures and aesthetic advantage for the patient. In the process of work, the theory of social values emerged as a dynamic component that can bring together and explain many concepts, as well as physician’s acceptance of the guidelines. Value in terms of usefulness and truth plays a major role in cognitive appreciation of the documents. This concept gives a strategic meaning to the whole work and allows us to better understand attitude and behavior change.