Identifying priority interventions for stroke in Ireland through stakeholder engagement to inform population-based...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Policy
• Stroke Medicine

Background:

• Stroke survival rates are increasing, necessitating updated evidence for prevention and management.
• Population-based modeling and economic evaluations are crucial for policy decisions but require stakeholder alignment.
• Identifying stakeholder priorities is essential for developing effective stroke care strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engage stakeholders in Ireland to identify priorities for stroke prevention and management strategies and policies.
• To gather comprehensive data to inform future stroke care policy and service planning.
• To align policy development with the needs and perspectives of key stakeholders.

Main Methods:

• An iterative, mixed-methods approach was employed across three phases.
• Phase 1: Qualitative data collection via online surveys and interviews with stroke survivors, healthcare professionals, and policy/research/advocacy personnel.
• Phase 2 & 3: Quantitative online surveys for ranking interventions, followed by a stakeholder workshop to finalize priorities.

Main Results:

• A comprehensive list of potential stroke prevention and management interventions was generated through qualitative data analysis.
• Stakeholder rankings provided quantitative data to inform priority setting.
• A final set of priorities was determined through a consensus-based workshop.

Conclusions:

• The study generated rich, diverse stakeholder-informed data crucial for Irish policymakers and service planners.
• Findings will directly inform the Scenario and Intervention Modelling in Ireland for Stroke (SIMI-Stroke) project.
• This research ensures stroke care policy development is aligned with stakeholder needs and evidence-based interventions.