Co-designing and testing a management programme with peer support for post-stroke fatigue: Nottingham fatigue after stroke study (NotFAST3).
Joanne Ablewhite, Shirley Thomas, Roshan das Nair and 4 others
PMID 40538201WHAT IT FOUND
Stroke survivors with fatigue and trained peer supporters tested a self-management programme.
Participants reported feeling supported and found the workbook helpful. Fatigue and mood scores improved, but without a control group, it is unknown if the programme caused these changes.
Key findings
01The feasibility study recruited 15 of 19 eligible participants and achieved high retention, meeting the criteria to proceed to a definitive trial.
02Participants valued the peer support and the hardback workbook, using it to implement strategies like keeping a diary and pacing activities.
03Mean scores for fatigue severity, activity levels, and mood improved from baseline to follow-up, though the sample was small and uncontrolled.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was a feasibility pilot with no control group, so improvements in scores cannot be attributed to the intervention. The sample size was small (15 participants), and three people did not return follow-up questionnaires. Recruitment was lower than targeted (15 vs 20) due to timing and technical issues. Peer support content was not directly observed, making it difficult to ensure fidelity to the training.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) under its Research for Patient Benefit Programme. The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the improvement in fatigue and mood scores as proof that the programme works. The study had no control group and a small sample size, so these changes could be due to natural recovery, regression to the mean, or other factors.