title: Patient knowledge and expectations for functional recovery after stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Understanding the causes and outcomes of stroke is important for stroke survivors and may affect their success in rehabilitation and their risk of recurrent stroke; therefore, this study was performed to assess the knowledge and expectation of functional recovery in stroke patients undergoing acute inpatient rehabilitation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey study of 50 consecutive stroke patients undergoing inpatient rehabilitation at a single urban rehabilitation hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-six percent of participants were able to correctly identify whether they had sustained a cerebral infarct or hemorrhage. Rehabilitation length of stay was, on average, 1 wk longer than anticipated by patients. Patients overestimated their functional abilities on initial assessment and at discharge compared with staff assessments, with some improvement in accuracy for discharge predictions. Ninety-four percent of participants expected to be discharged home, and most achieved this goal. Although no participant anticipated discharge to a nursing home, 10% of patients were discharged to this location.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Knowledge of stroke and its treatment was limited, and expectations for recovery tended to exceed actual accomplishments. There are significant areas of opportunity for enhanced educational efforts for stroke patients undergoing inpatient rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spauldin Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: Saad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shafqat
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Doherty
authors.forename: Elizabeth P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Frates
authors.forename: Karen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Furie
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation