How is self-management perceived by community living people after a stroke? A focus group study.
OBJECTIVE
Self-management has become an important concept in stroke rehabilitation; however, the way that people post-stroke reflect on the concept of self-management has not yet been studied. This qualitative study explored the reflections of persons post-stroke on self-management, readiness and needs in self-management support.


METHODS
Focus group interviews were conducted with 16 community living stroke survivors (53-84 years of age). Both verbal questions and photo elicitations were used to collect data. A constant comparative framework was used for the analysis.


RESULTS
Participants described their self-management as a complex, long-term, personal learning process. Post-discharge, participants were not ready to self-manage. Aside from individual self-management, participants also mentioned co-management with relatives. Relatives could provide support, but they also limited the development of participants' self-management skills. Participants missed having professional support post-discharge and would have appreciated additional psychological and emotional support in their process of self-management.


CONCLUSIONS
Self-management post-stroke is complex. Stroke self-management programmes may be optimised when integrating role and emotional management in addition to medical management. Although readiness to self-manage differs among individuals, support should start as soon as possible and continue post-discharge in people's personal environments. Self-management programmes should not only focus on self-management of stroke survivors but also on co-management with relatives.
Department of Occupational Therapy, HAN University of Applied Sciences , Nijmegen , the Netherlands .
Ton
T
Satink
Edith H C
EH
Cup
Bert J M
BJ
de Swart
Maria W G
MW
Nijhuis-van der Sanden
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010465:Perception; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D017741:Survivors
Focus group; role management; self-management; stroke