Psychosocial Outcomes in Stroke - POISE

A mechanic working on a car

Most younger stroke survivors are responsible for generating an income or providing family care and aim to return to work

Background

The unrecognised burden of stroke in younger adults

Each year, approximately 12,000 Australians of working age survive a stroke.

As a group, younger stroke survivors (<65 years) have less physical impairment and much lower mortality after stroke compared with older survivors - however, the psychosocial disability and economic hardship they experience is substantial.

Most of these younger stroke survivors are responsible for generating an income or providing family care and their primary objective is to return to work. However, effective vocational rehabilitation strategies to increase the proportion of younger stroke survivors able to return to work, and information on the key target areas for those strategies, are currently lacking.

Aims

The primary aim of this project is to determine if modifiable early (within 28 days of stroke) psychosocial factors are associated with return to work at one year in younger stroke survivors.

The secondary aim is to determine the economic impact of not returning to work for younger stroke survivors and their families.

In addition, we will use these data to inform intervention strategies to increase the proportion of stroke survivors able to return to work.

Method

The proposed study is a prospective cohort study of younger (<65 years) stroke survivors to be conducted over three years (2008—2010) in New South Wales, Australia. Participants will be recruited from the New South Wales Stroke Services (SSNSW) network - a cohesively operating and managed, network of acute stroke units. In total, 440 participants will be recruited from stroke units over a 12-month period.

Status

The study has received funding and recruitment is planned to begin in August 2008.

Institute Investigators

Project Manager

Collaborators

Funders