Background
'Supported self-management’ describes the type of help and support offered to stroke survivors and their families after they have been discharged from hospital. This support is offered by community rehabilitation services, and could involve attending a course or a group, or could be support from health and social care professionals themselves.
The idea of supported self-management is to let people ‘get on with life’. Research has shown that this support can help stroke survivors and their families cope with and self-manage the lasting effects of their stroke and enjoy a good quality of life.
However, research has also shown that the type and standard of support available varies across the UK. We currently do not know how best to provide this support in areas of the country that are geographically different (for example, cities and rural areas).
What is the research aiming to do?
This research aims to find out what kind of support works well, and what doesn’t work well, in local areas to help stroke survivors and their families to self-manage. This will involve speaking to stroke survivors and healthcare professionals working in community rehabilitation services in 4 regions of Scotland. The researchers will ask them what they think about supported self-management and why it is important. They will also ask what works well and what doesn’t work well in different areas of Scotland.
While the research is focussing on Scotland, it will also look at how the findings could apply to other areas of the UK.
What difference could this research make?
This project will provide evidence about the types of support that work in different settings, allowing stroke survivors and their families to effectively self-manage. The researchers hope that this will be a step towards making sure that stroke survivors are offered the same high standard of support to self-manage, no matter where they live. It will also tell us more about what research is still needed to help people to self-manage well after a stroke.