title: Needs assessment of individuals with stroke after discharge from hospital stratified by acute Functional Independence Measure score.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the needs, barriers and facilitators of function in individuals with stroke after discharge from hospital. To examine the results stratified by the patient's acute score (<41, 41-80, >80) on the functional independence measure (FIM).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cohort study of 209 patients who had been admitted to hospital because of stroke. Patients were interviewed following hospital discharge using a semi-structured interview and asked to complete and return a quantitative closed-ended survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For most domains, frequencies of needs varied across the FIM groups. Combining all FIM groups, the interview showed needs related to: physical impairments (35%), time for recovery (33%), education (28%), medical advice (25%), therapies and services (21%), social needs (19%) and emotional needs (18%). From the interview, the most frequent barriers were physical impairments (55%) and emotional concerns (40%). Common facilitators were family support (54%), therapies and medical care (40%) and personal attitudes (22%). Additional needs from the survey concerned: IADL, mobility, ADL, recreation, finances, communication and employment. Additional barriers from the survey were: attitudes, social participation, environments and limited services.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a large and varied number of needs and barriers following discharge from hospital that have planning and advocacy implications for rehabilitation teams.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. moreland@mcmaster.ca
authors.forename: Julie Dawn
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Moreland
authors.forename: Vincent G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Depaul
authors.forename: Amy L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Dehueck
authors.forename: Stefan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Pagliuso
authors.forename: Darrell W C
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Yip
authors.forename: Barbara J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Pollock
authors.forename: Seanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wilkins
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010351:Patient Discharge; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012944:Social Support; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation