Experiences and needs of older adults at different stages of cerebral infarction based on trajectory theory-A qualitative study.
Xianping Tang, Hong Sun, Song Ge and 3 others
PMID 36322506WHAT IT FOUND
Older adults after stroke described changing needs: early fear and delayed treatment, then gaps in rehabilitation, medication and self-care knowledge, then partial recovery with anxiety, diet and social isolation.
Key findings
01Most patients failed to identify symptoms promptly, delaying optimal treatment.
02During the acute stage, most patients lacked knowledge about prevention, healthy diet, rehabilitation measures and nursing care.
03In the stable stage, patients described gradual improvement in daily living, decreased social connections and attempts to reshape healthy eating habits.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was done in one hospital in China, so the themes may not apply to other settings or countries. It included 14 patients, plus 3 doctors and 5 nurses, so it is not a large or representative sample. Twelve patients had recurrent strokes and could describe all stages, while only two had a first stroke, so the onset-stage findings may reflect recurrent disease more than first stroke. It is a qualitative study of experiences and needs, not a test of whether any intervention improves outcomes.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest. The study was funded by the Jiangsu Commission of Health.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the themes as evidence that a tailored trajectory-based nursing intervention improves outcomes. This was a qualitative study of experiences and needs, not a tested intervention.