title: A qualitative study exploring patients' experiences of standard care or cardiac rehabilitation post minor stroke and transient ischaemic attack.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore individuals' experiences of receiving either standard care or comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation post minor stroke or transient ischaemic attack.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews, alongside a randomized controlled trial, exploring the effectiveness of comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation compared with standard care. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and subjected to thematic analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individuals' homes.
  
  
  METHODS
  People who have experienced a minor stroke or transient ischaemic attack and who were partaking in a secondary prevention randomized controlled trial (6-7 months post the event, 17 males, five females; mean age 67 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  Not relevant.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not relevant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four themes were identified: information delivery, comparing oneself with others, psychological impact, attitudes and actions regarding risk factor reduction. Participants indicated a need for improved information delivery, specific to their own risk factors and lifestyle changes. Many experienced psychological impact as a result of their minor stroke. Participants were found to make two types of social comparison; the comparison of self to another affected by stroke, and the comparison of self to cardiac patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation was reported to have positive effects on people's motivation to exercise. Following a minor stroke, many individuals do not recall information given or risk factors specific to them. Downward comparison with individuals who have had a cardiovascular event led to some underplaying the significance of their minor stroke.
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Department, Headway Thames Valley, UK.
authors.forename: Kaye M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Hillsdon
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kersten
authors.forename: Hayden J S
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kirk
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D036301:Qualitative Research; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D012944:Social Support; D020521:Stroke / Q000523:psychology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation
keywords: Minor stroke; cardiac rehabilitation; secondary prevention; transient ischaemic attack