title: Fatigue after stroke: manifestations and strategies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe how fatigue is experienced by stroke survivors, how they understand and deal with fatigue and how fatigue impacts their daily life.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative interview study was carried out as part of a larger longitudinal study investigating the prevalence, characteristics and contributing factors to post-stroke fatigue. Thirty-two participants (15 men and 17 women) were strategically sampled to explore the experiences of fatigue. Participants were interviewed at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years post-stroke. Data were analysed applying a Grounded theory approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients clearly described and differentiated their experience between: (1) tiredness as an ordinary life event and (2) fatigue as a post-stroke life condition. Three fatigue-transforming strategies were identified, being on a mission, settling for less and stalling. Stalling seemed to put the stroke survivors in a particularly vulnerable situation. Over time, some participants moved between these two tiredness/fatigue manifestations and their range of strategies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Post-stroke fatigue is a new life experience different from ordinary tiredness and seems to be a significant problem in the stroke survivors' struggle to regain a new normalcy. Intervention studies are needed to reduce the impact of post-stroke fatigue on coping and recovery.
authors: Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Århus, Denmark. marit.kirkevold@medisin.uio.no
authors: Marit
authors: M
authors: Kirkevold
authors: Doris
authors: D
authors: Christensen
authors: Grethe
authors: G
authors: Andersen
authors: Søren Paaske
authors: SP
authors: Johansen
authors: Ingegerd
authors: I
authors: Harder
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D036301:Qualitative Research; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*