The effect of self-management education following mild stroke: an exploratory randomized controlled trial.

The sample was small, with 71 participants randomized. The study was exploratory and may not have had enough sensitivity to detect small changes. The groups differed at baseline in self-rated ability to manage health, with the control group rating themselves higher. All participants could continue any post-discharge rehabilitation recommended by their physician, and these services were not tracked. The sample was very heterogeneous in chronic conditions and changes over follow-up. The generic Chronic Disease Self-Management Program may not address stroke-specific symptoms such as cognition, depression, fatigue, sensory changes, motor impairment, or participation. Outcomes were mostly self-report Likert scales, and some measures were used only for screening. There were no objective health measures such as blood pressure. Study demands may have selected participants who were already doing well after stroke.

Do not conclude that the self-management program works because treatment participants reported changes after the program. The control group also changed, the between-group advantage was minimal at follow-up, and all participants could receive other rehabilitation that was not tracked.