Patient Experiences of Receiving Stroke Discharge Information in Accordance With Preferences.
Kristy Fakes, Amy Waller, Mariko Carey and 4 others
PMID 39789820WHAT IT FOUND
Most stroke and TIA patients wanted discharge information about risk, prevention, symptoms and contacts, but about one third did not receive it.
Older patients and people with higher BMI were less likely to report receiving it, and receipt varied by hospital.
Key findings
01All five recommended discharge information items were wanted by 80% to 83% of respondents.
02Approximately one third of participants reported not receiving recommended discharge information; 38% did not receive information about their risk of having another stroke in the next 12 months, and 32% did not receive information about who to contact.
03Hospital site, BMI, age and type of stroke were significantly associated with receiving discharge care information in accordance with preferences.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The survey was cross-sectional and based on self-report, so it cannot show that BMI, age or hospital site caused the differences in discharge information. Only 35% of eligible patients completed the survey, so the experiences of non-responders are not known. Survivors with severe cognitive impairment, severe language impairment, aphasia, insufficient English or discharge to residential care were excluded. Data on medical conditions were obtained via participant self-report only, and their accuracy was not determined. The paper reports associations with receiving information according to preferences, not the effect of a tested intervention. The regression analysis excluded participants who did not want all five items, but the final number analysed is not given.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Funding was named as the National Health and Medical Research Council, Hunter Medical Research Institute, and an NHMRC Boosting Dementia Research Leadership Fellowship.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that age, BMI or hospital site caused the gaps in discharge information. This was a cross-sectional survey of self-reported receipt and preferences, and it reports associations, not the effect of a tested intervention.