Occupational gaps in everyday life one year after stroke and the association with life satisfaction and impact of stroke.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the presence, frequency, and distribution of occupational gaps and to explore whether there are associations between occupational gaps and life satisfaction, self-rated recovery, and functioning and participation in activities of daily living (ADLs) 1 year after stroke.


METHODS
Data were collected at onset and at 12 months after stroke from 161 patients admitted to a stroke unit in central Sweden by using Occupational Gaps Questionnaire, LiSat-11, Stroke Impact Scale, Katz ADL Index, and Barthel Index. Spearman rank correlation and Mann Whitney U test were used in the analyses.


RESULTS
Occupational gaps were reported by 87% of the participants. The number of occupational gaps was moderately associated with participation and self-rated recovery. There was a significant difference in the number of occupational gaps between the participants who were independent in ADLs and those who were not, both at baseline and at 12 months after stroke. There was, however, no significant association between occupational gaps and life satisfaction.


CONCLUSIONS
Occupational gaps 1 year after stroke are very common, particularly among individuals experiencing difficulties in ADLs. Increased efforts are vital to enable individuals to do the activities that are important to them, irrespective of whether these are instrumental ADLs or leisure or social activities. Occupational gaps could be reduced by developing rehabilitation interventions that enable desired activities in different contexts that are crucial for individual patients.
Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Gunilla
G
Eriksson
Monica
M
Aasnes
Malin
M
Tistad
Susanne
S
Guidetti
Lena
L
von Koch
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D009790:Occupations; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D020521:Stroke / Q000523:psychology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult