Information provision after stroke: a qualitative synthesis of the views and experiences of stroke survivors and their carers

Background: The provision of information is frequently reported as being an unmet need of stroke survivors and their carers. Optimal strategies to address this lack of adequate information provision have not yet been identified and it is currently unclear why information interventions do not consistently show benefit with these people. In this review, we evaluated qualitative studies of patients' and carers' perspectives of information provision after stroke, to understand how these may inform the development of future strategies of information delivery. Method: An electronic search of relevant databases was conducted, and all results were screened by title and abstract by two independent reviewers. Qualitative studies which gathered the perspectives of stroke survivors and/or their carers about the provision of information after stroke were included. The studies were summarized, and findings synthesized using tabulation and thematic analysis. Results: Eight studies were included in the synthesis, and the following themes were derived: The adequacy of the information including the timing of information; access to information, including information consistency; and the delivery of information including specific views on information topics, delivery method and format. Conclusions: The timing and format of information was important to the participants of the included studies, and the information requirements and preferences for how it should be delivered varied greatly between participants. The findings suggest that while information is an important component of post-stroke care for both the survivor and their carer, a personalized approach to information provision might be required.