Important factors influencing the return to work after stroke.

Area of Science:

• Neurorehabilitation
• Occupational Therapy
• Public Health

Background:

• Rehabilitation increasingly prioritizes functional capacity and community reintegration post-stroke.
• Return to work (RTW) is a critical recovery goal for stroke survivors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and compile key factors influencing RTW after stroke.
• To organize these factors using the International Classification of Function, Disability and Health (ICF) framework.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review.
• Clustering and organizing influencing factors based on the ICF framework: body functions/structure, activity participation, environmental, and personal/psychosocial factors.

Main Results:

• Stroke severity (residual disability, neurological deficits) is the most consistent negative predictor of RTW.
• Factors like remaining work years, depression, medical history, and occupation influence RTW decisions.
• Flexibility, realistic vocational goals, and emotional acceptance of disability correlate with higher RTW likelihood.

Conclusions:

• Numerous barriers impede employment for stroke survivors.
• These barriers encompass physical, cognitive, psychosocial, and environmental domains.