Quality of life after stroke: exposing a gap in nursing literature

Cerebrovascular accidents are the third leading cause of death in the United States. Stroke disables two thirds of its survivors; of these, one third are severely impaired. Studies have begun only recently to focus on the emotional and psychosocial aspects of stroke recovery. Research on quality of life has been conducted with clients suffering from cancer and osteoarthritis as well as clients recovering from cardiac surgery; apparently, however, no similar study has been conducted with stroke patients. This article highlights the gap in nursing literature regarding quality of life after a stroke and encourages nurses to conduct research on this topic.