title: Service users' views of the assessment process in stroke rehabilitation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the service users' (stroke survivors and care-givers) experiences and views of the rehabilitation assessment process.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative data analysis from three focus groups using a content analysis to identify the major themes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were recruited from stroke support groups and community rehabilitation services in a large UK city.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen community-dwelling stroke survivors who had completed their rehabilitation within the previous year and six care-givers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five themes emerged: understanding the purpose of the assessment; repetition of assessments; feedback about assessments and progress; format of feedback and barriers to feedback. While all participants reported undergoing assessment, some felt their purpose was not always explained and resented unexplained repetitions of tests. Some participants reported a positive experience, but most wanted more information about their progress and predictions of recovery. They wanted regular, consistent, objective information presented in layman's terms; verbally and in writing. Some carers reported difficulty accessing information particularly as a result of confidentiality policies. While some participants accepted these short-comings, others considered them due to staff's disinterest or ineptitude, which undermined their trust in the team.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stroke service users require clear information about the purpose of assessments and regular, consistent, objective feedback about their progress using layman's language both verbally and in writing.
authors.affiliation: University of Manchester, Stroke and Vascular Research Centre, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, Manchester, UK sarah.tyson@manchester.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Sarah F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Tyson
authors.affiliation: University of Manchester, Stroke and Vascular Research Centre, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Louisa-Jane
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Burton
authors.affiliation: Greater Manchester, Lancashire and South Cumbria Strategic Clinical Network and Senate, Stroke Rehabilitation Programme, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McGovern
authors.affiliation: University of Salford, Business School, Salford, UK.
authors.forename: Sudi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharifi
keywords: Stroke; assessment; measurement; qualitative; rehabilitation