Background and purpose The aim of this study is to investigate changes in movement behaviors, sedentary behavior and physical activity, and to identify potential movement behavior trajectory subgroups within the first two months after discharge from the hospital to the home setting in first-time stroke patients. Methods A total of 140 participants were included. Within three weeks after discharge, participants received an accelerometer, which they wore continuously for five weeks to objectively measure movement behavior outcomes. The movement behavior outcomes of interest were the mean time spent in sedentary behavior (SB), light physical activity (LPA) and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA); the mean time spent in MVPA bouts ≥ 10 minutes; and the weighted median sedentary bout. Generalized estimation equation analyses were performed to investigate overall changes in movement behavior outcomes. Latent class growth analyses were performed to identify patient subgroups of movement behavior outcome trajectories. Results In the first week, the participants spent an average, of 9.22 hours (67.03%) per day in SB, 3.87 hours (27.95%) per day in LPA and 0.70 hours (5.02%) per day in MVPA. Within the entire sample, a small but significant decrease in SB and increase in LPA were found in the first weeks in the home setting. For each movement behavior outcome variable, two or three distinctive subgroup trajectories were found. Although subgroup trajectories for each movement behavior outcome were identified, no relevant changes over time were found. Conclusion Overall, the majority of stroke survivors are highly sedentary and a substantial part is inactive in the period immediately after discharge from hospital care. Movement behavior outcomes remain fairly stable during this period, although distinctive subgroup trajectories were found for each movement behavior outcome. Future research should investigate whether movement behavior outcomes cluster in patterns.
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Objective: Despite the increasing availability of eRehabilitation, its use remains limited. The aim of this study was to assess factors associated with willingness to use eRehabilitation. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Subjects: Stroke patients, informal caregivers, health-care professionals. Methods: The survey included personal characteristics, willingness to use eRehabilitation (yes/no) and barri-ers/facilitators influencing this willingness (4-point scale). Barriers/facilitators were merged into factors. The association between these factors and willingness to use eRehabilitation was assessed using logistic regression analyses. Results: Overall, 125 patients, 43 informal caregivers and 105 healthcare professionals participated in the study. Willingness to use eRehabilitation was positively influenced by perceived patient benefits (e.g. reduced travel time, increased motivation, better outcomes), among patients (odds ratio (OR) 2.68; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.34–5.33), informal caregivers (OR 8.98; 95% CI 1.70–47.33) and healthcare professionals (OR 6.25; 95% CI 1.17–10.48). Insufficient knowledge decreased willingness to use eRehabilitation among pa-tients (OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.17–0.74). Limitations of the study include low response rates and possible response bias. Conclusion: Differences were found between patients/informal caregivers and healthcare professionals. Ho-wever, for both groups, perceived benefits of the use of eRehabilitation facilitated willingness to use eRehabili-tation. Further research is needed to determine the benefits of such programs, and inform all users about the potential benefits, and how to use eRehabilitation. Lay Abstract The use of digital eRehabilitation after stroke (e.g. in serious games, e-consultation and education) is increasing. However, the use of eRehabilitation in daily practice is limited. As a first step in increasing the use of eRehabilitation in stroke care, this study examined which factors influence the willingness of stroke patients, informal caregivers and healthcare professionals to use eRehabilitation. Beliefs about the benefits of eRehabilitation were found to have the largest positive impact on willingness to use eRehabilitation. These benefits included reduced travel time, increased adherence to therapy or motivation, and better health outcomes. The willingness to use eRehabilitation is limited by a lack of knowledge about how to use eRehabilitation.
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Background Movement behaviors (i.e., physical activity levels, sedentary behavior) in people with stroke are not self-contained but cluster in patterns. Recent research identified three commonly distinct movement behavior patterns in people with stroke. However, it remains unknown if movement behavior patterns remain stable and if individuals change in movement behavior pattern over time. Objectives 1) To investigate the stability of the composition of movement behavior patterns over time, and 2) determine if individuals change their movement behavior resulting in allocation to another movement behavior pattern within the first two years after discharge to home in people with a first-ever stroke. Methods Accelerometer data of 200 people with stroke of the RISE-cohort study were analyzed. Ten movement behavior variables were compressed using Principal Componence Analysis and K-means clustering was used to identify movement behavior patterns at three weeks, six months, one year, and two years after home discharge. The stability of the components within movement behavior patterns was investigated. Frequencies of individuals’ movement behavior pattern and changes in movement behavior pattern allocation were objectified. Results The composition of the movement behavior patterns at discharge did not change over time. At baseline, there were 22% sedentary exercisers (active/sedentary), 45% sedentary movers (inactive/sedentary) and 33% sedentary prolongers (inactive/highly sedentary). Thirty-five percent of the stroke survivors allocated to another movement behavior pattern within the first two years, of whom 63% deteriorated to a movement behavior pattern with higher health risks. After two years there were, 19% sedentary exercisers, 42% sedentary movers, and 39% sedentary prolongers. Conclusions The composition of movement behavior patterns remains stable over time. However, individuals change their movement behavior. Significantly more people allocated to a movement behavior pattern with higher health risks. The increase of people allocated to sedentary movers and sedentary prolongers is of great concern. It underlines the importance of improving or maintaining healthy movement behavior to prevent future health risks after stroke.
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Purpose Pre-stroke frailty in older adults is associated with adverse outcomes after stroke in community-based and hospitalbased populations. The aim of our study was to investigate the prevalence of pre-stroke frailty among older stroke survivors receiving medical specialistic rehabilitation and its association with outcomes and recovery. Methods Pre-stroke frailty was measured by the Groningen Frailty Indicator (GFI, score ≥ 4 indicates frailty) in patients≥65 years receiving stroke medical specialistic rehabilitation. Baseline, follow-up and change (i.e. recovery) scores of the Barthel index (BI), Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) ‘mobility’, ‘communication’, and ‘memory and thinking’, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the EuroQoL-5 dimensions (EQ-5D) were compared between frail and non-frail patients with a multivariable regression model adjusting for confounders. Results Of 322 included patients (34.2% females, median age 70 years), 43 (13.4%) patients reported pre-stroke frailty. There were no diferences in BI or in destination of discharge between pre-stroke frail and non-frail stroke survivors receiving inpatient rehabilitation. However, pre-stroke frailty was associated with worse follow-up scores for all other measures. Recovery in pre-stroke frail patients was less favorable compared to non-frail patients for SIS mobility, HADS subscales and EQ-5D index and visual analogue scale. Conclusion Pre-stroke frailty was present in a minority of older stroke survivors receiving medical specialistic rehabilitation. BI and destination of discharge did not difer. Nevertheless, pre-stroke frailty was associated with worse functioning at follow-up for most measures of health status and with smaller improvements in mobility, mood and quality of life.
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Incorporating user requirements in the design of e-rehabilitation interventions facilitates their implementation. However, insight into requirements for e-rehabilitation after stroke is lacking. This study investigated which user requirements for stroke e-rehabilitation are important to stroke patients, informal caregivers, and health professionals. The methodology consisted of a survey study amongst stroke patients, informal caregivers, and health professionals (physicians, physical therapists and occupational therapists). The survey consisted of statements about requirements regarding accessibility, usability and content of a comprehensive stroke e-health intervention (4-point Likert scale, 1=unimportant/4=important). The mean with standard deviation was the metric used to determine the importance of requirements. Patients (N=125), informal caregivers (N=43), and health professionals (N=105) completed the survey. The mean score of user requirements regarding accessibility, usability and content for stroke e-rehabilitation was 3.1 for patients, 3.4 for informal caregivers and 3.4 for health professionals. Data showed that a large number of user requirements are important and should be incorporated into the design of stroke e-rehabilitation to facilitate their implementation.
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NeuroDevelopmental Treatment (NDT) is the most used rehabilitation approach in the treatment of patients with stroke in the Western world today, despite the lack of evidence for its efficacy. The aim of this study was to conduct an intervention check and measure the nurses' competence, in positioning stroke patients according to the NDT approach. The sample consisted of 144 nurses in six neurological wards who were observed while positioning stroke patients according to the NDT approach. The nurses' combined mean competence scores within the wards was 195 (70%) of 280 (100%) possible, and for each ward the mean score varied between 181 (65%) and 206 (74%). This study indicates that nurses working in hospitals where the NDT approach has been implemented have the knowledge and skills to provide NDT nursing.
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Background: A user-centered design approach for eHealth interventions improves their effectiveness in stroke rehabilitation. Nevertheless, insight into requirements of end-users (patients/informal caregivers and/or health professionals) for eRehabilitation is lacking. The aim of this study was to identify end-user requirements for a comprehensive eHealth program in stroke rehabilitation. Methods: Eight focus groups were conducted to identify user requirements; six with patients/informal caregivers and two with health professionals involved in stroke rehabilitation (rehabilitation physicians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, team coordinators, speech therapist). The focus groups were audiotaped and transcribed in full. Direct content analysis was used to identify the end-user requirements for stroke eHealth interventions concerning three categories: accessibility, usability and content. Results: In total, 45 requirements for the accessibility, usability and content of a stroke eRehabilitation program emerged from the focus groups. Most requirements concerned content (27 requirements), followed by usability (12 requirements) and accessibility (6 requirements). Patients/informal caregivers and health professionals each identified 37 requirements, respectively, with 29 of them overlapping. Conclusions: Requirements between stroke patients/informal caregivers and health professionals differed on several aspects. Therefore, involving the perspectives of all end users in the design process of stroke eRehabilitation programs is needed to achieve a user-centered design.
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Background: Up to one third of all stroke patients suffer fromone or more psychosocial impairments. Recognition and treatment of these impairments are essential in improving psychosocial well-being after stroke. Although nurses are ideally positioned to address psychosocial well-being, they often feel insecure about providing the needed psychosocial care. Therefore, we expect that providing nurses with better knowledge to deliver this care could lead to an improvement in psychosocialwell-being after stroke. Currently it is not knownwhich interventions are effective and what aspects of these interventions are most effective to improve psychosocial wellbeing after stroke. Objective: To identify potentially effective interventions – and intervention components – which can be delivered by nurses to improve patients' psychosocial well-being after stroke. Methods: A systematic review and data synthesis of randomized controlled trials and quasi experimental studies was conducted. Papers were included according to the following criteria: 1) before-after design, 2) all types of stroke patients, 3) interventions that can be delivered by nurses, 4) the primary outcome(s) were psychosocial. PubMed, Embase, PsychInfo, CINAHL and Cochrane library were searched (August 2019–April 2022). Articles were selected based on title, abstract, full text and quality. Quality was assessed by using Joanna Briggs Institute checklists and a standardized data extraction form developed by Joanna Brigss Institute was used to extract the data. Results: In total 60 studies were included, of which 52 randomized controlled trials, three non-randomized controlled trials, four quasi-experimental studies, and one randomized cross-over study. Nineteen studies had a clear psychosocial content, twenty-nine a partly psychosocial content, and twelve no psychosocial content. Thirty-nine interventions that showed positive effects on psychosocial well-being after stroke were identified. Effective intervention topics were found to be mood, recovery, coping, emotions, consequences/problems after stroke, values and needs, risk factors and secondary prevention, self-management, andmedicationmanagement. Active information and physical exercise were identified as effective methods of delivery. Discussion: The results suggest that interventions to improve psychosocial well-being should include the intervention topics and methods of delivery that were identified as effective. Since effectiveness of the intervention can depend on the interaction of intervention components, these interactions should be studied. Nurses and patients should be involved in the development of such interventions to ensure it can be used by nurses and will help improve patients' psychosocial well-being.
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Purpose (1) To investigate the differences in the course of participation up to one year after stroke between distinct movement behavior patterns identified directly after discharge to the home setting, and (2) to investigate the longitudinal association between the development of movement behavior patterns over time and participation after stroke. Materials and methods 200 individuals with a first-ever stroke were assessed directly after discharge to the home setting, at six months and at one year. The Participation domain of the Stroke Impact Scale 3.0 was used to measure participation. Movement behavior was objectified using accelerometry for 14 days. Participants were categorized into three distinct movement behavior patterns: sedentary exercisers, sedentary movers and sedentary prolongers. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were performed. Results People who were classified as sedentary prolongers directly after discharge was associated with a worse course of participation up to one year after stroke. The development of sedentary prolongers over time was also associated with worse participation compared to sedentary exercisers. Conclusions The course of participation after stroke differs across distinct movement behavior patterns after discharge to the home setting. Highly sedentary and inactive people with stroke are at risk for restrictions in participation over time. Implications for rehabilitation The course of participation in people with a first-ever stroke up to one year after discharge to the home setting differed based on three distinct movement behavior patterns, i.e., sedentary exercisers, sedentary movers and sedentary prolongers. Early identification of highly sedentary and inactive people with stroke after discharge to the home setting is important, as sedentary prolongers are at risk for restrictions in participation over time. Supporting people with stroke to adapt and maintain a healthy movement behavior after discharge to the home setting could prevent potential long-term restrictions in participation.
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In order to achieve a level of community involvement and physical independence, being able to walk is the primary aim of many stroke survivors. It is therefore one of the most important goals during rehabilitation. Falls are common in all stages after stroke. Reported fall rates in the chronic stage after stroke range from 43 to 70% during one year follow up. Moreover, stroke survivors are more likely to become repeated fallers as compared to healthy older adults. Considering the devastating effects of falls in stroke survivors, adequate fall risk assessment is of paramount importance, as it is a first step in targeted fall prevention. As the majority of all falls occur during dynamic activities such as walking, fall risk could be assessed using gait analysis. It is only recent that technology enables us to monitor gait over several consecutive days, thereby allowing us to assess quality of gait in daily life. This thesis studies a variety of gait assessments with respect to their ability to assess fall risk in ambulatory chronic stroke survivors, and explores whether stroke survivors can improve their gait stability through PBT.
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