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Assistive technologies after stroke: self-management or fending for yourself? A focus group study
Sara Demain1, Jane Burridge, Caroline Ellis-Hill
1School of Health and Social Care, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK. cehill@bournemouth.ac.uk.
BMC Health Services Research
|August 24, 2013
Summary
Assistive technologies show promise for upper-limb stroke rehabilitation self-management, but systemic barriers hinder their use. Improving device design, information access, and coordinated provision is crucial for realizing their potential.
Area of Science:
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Assistive Technology
- Stroke Recovery
Background:
- Assistive technologies offer clinical benefits for upper-limb stroke rehabilitation.
- Community-based stroke services increasingly rely on patient self-management.
- Current use of assistive technologies in stroke self-management is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate patient, caregiver, and health professional experiences with assistive technologies in stroke rehabilitation.
- To identify barriers and facilitators to assistive technology use in supporting stroke self-management.
Main Methods:
- A three-day assistive technology exhibition attended by 204 participants.
- Four focus groups conducted with stroke survivors (users and non-users), family caregivers, and health professionals.
- Thematic analysis of transcribed focus group data on experiences, barriers, and facilitators.
Main Results:
- All stakeholders recognized the unrealized potential of assistive technologies for home-based, high-intensity upper-limb rehabilitation.
- Significant barriers identified include device design, access to information, and provision challenges.
- A lack of coordinated assistive technology provision systems was evident, with limited clinical evidence and health professional training.
Conclusions:
- Systemic barriers impede the effective use of assistive technologies in stroke rehabilitation.
- Increased evidence of effectiveness and improved clinical service provision are necessary.
- Collaboration among manufacturers, researchers, clinicians, funders, patients, and caregivers is vital for developing new funding models, enhancing device design, and improving training.
