The Unmet Needs of Stroke Survivors and Stroke Caregivers: A Systematic Narrative Review

Zawawi NSM 1 , Aziz NA 2 , Fisher R 3 , Ahmad K 4 , Walker MF 5

Affiliations 

  • 1 Division of Ageing, Rehabilitation and Wellbeing, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, UK. Electronic address: [email protected]
  • 2 Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia Malaysia. Electronic address: [email protected]
  • 3 Division of Ageing, Rehabilitation and Wellbeing, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, UK. Electronic address: [email protected]
  • 4 Speech Science Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, National University of Malaysia Malaysia. Electronic address: [email protected]
  • 5 Division of Ageing, Rehabilitation and Wellbeing, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, UK. Electronic address: [email protected]
J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis, 2020 Aug;29(8):104875.
PMID: 32689648 DOI: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2020.104875

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Facilitating stroke survivors and their caregivers to lead a fulfilling life after stroke requires service providers to think about their different needs. Poor post stroke care may lead to unmet needs in stroke survivors and stroke caregivers. This may compromise them in leading their lives optimally after stroke.

OBJECTIVES & METHODOLOGY: This systematic narrative review examines articles published from 1990 to 2017, generated from Ovid, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PubMed. The search was also supplemented by an examination of reference lists for related articles via Scopus. We included 105 articles.

FINDINGS: We found that the type of unmet needs in stroke survivors and the contributing factors were substantially different from their caregivers. The unmet needs in stroke survivors ranged from health-related needs to re-integration into the community; while the unmet needs in stroke caregivers ranged from information needs to support in caring for the stroke survivors and caring for themselves. Additionally, the unmet needs in both groups were associated with different factors.

CONCLUSION: More research is required to understand the unmet needs of stroke survivors and stroke caregivers to improve the overall post-stroke care services.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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