Health education needs of stroke patients and caregivers: A qualitative meta-synthesis

The current health education for stroke patients and their families often fails to take into account the systematic differences in their needs, and most of the approaches are based on the single perspective of either the patients or the caregivers, lacking a systematic integration from a dual perspective.

This study integrates the health education needs of stroke patients and caregivers, to inform the development of tailored health education programs for both stroke patients and their caregivers.

A systematic search was conducted across Chinese and English databases including CNKI, Wanfang Database, VIP Chinese Science and Technology Journal Database, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL for qualitative research papers addressing health education needs among stroke patients or caregivers. The search period spanned from the inception of each database to September 2025. The quality of included studies was assessed using the qualitative research tool developed by the JBI Centre for Evidence-Based Healthcare. Meta-synthesis was performed using the meta-synthesis approach.

A total of 11 studies were included, yielding 38 findings that were ultimately synthesized into 11 new categories. These were consolidated into three outcomes: disease knowledge needs, psychosocial support needs, and resource support needs. The analysis further revealed systematic differences in health education needs between patients and caregivers.

Healthcare providers should prioritize the needs of patients and their caregivers, developing health education plans based on a segmented, phased, and collaborative approach. This involves delivering targeted health education content to meet their specific educational requirements.