Search

Background: A transient ischaemic attack (TIA) and minor stroke are medical emergencies and often a warning sign of future strokes if remain untreated. Few studies have investigated the long-term psychosocial effects of TIA and minor stroke. Secondary prevention and medical management are often the primary focus with limited access offered for further psychosocial support. Psychoeducational interventions can provide education and advice to people with physical health conditions and, with suitable tailoring, could be appropriate for people after TIA and minor stroke. This study aims to develop a group psychoeducational intervention for people after TIA and minor stroke and to test whether it is acceptable and feasible. Methods: This mixed-methodology study involves two phases: Phase 1) A qualitative study to determine the content of a suitable intervention; Phase 2) A single-centre feasibility randomised controlled trial to evaluate the acceptability of this intervention. The overall study has ethical approval. Stroke survivors have been involved in designing and monitoring the trial. The aim is to recruit 30-40 participants from a Stroke/TIA Service, within 6 months following their diagnosis. Participants will be randomly allocated to either the usual care control group or the intervention group (psychoeducational programme). The programme will consist of six group sessions based on providing education, psychological and social support. The primary outcomes will relate to the feasibility aims of the study. Outcomes will be collected at 3 and 6 months to assess mood, quality of life, knowledge and satisfaction, and resource use. Discussion: There is a need to develop and evaluate effective interventions that enhance the education provided to people after TIA and minor stroke and to promote their psychosocial wellbeing. Findings will indicate the acceptability of the intervention and parameters needed to conduct a definitive trial.

Background: Post-stroke depression (PSD) is a common phenomenon and has a negative impact on rehabilitation, recovery and quality of life. About one third of stroke patients suffer communication problems, including aphasia, which is a condition that mainly affects their ability in understanding and/or producing language. The frequency of depressive symptoms in post-stroke aphasia has been difficult to determine as most studies have excluded stroke patients with aphasia due to methodological limitations. As a result, depression remains often under-diagnosed and untreated in these patients. Objectives: The purpose of this thesis was 1) to develop and validate a revised version of the Visual Analogue Mood Scales (YAMS), and 2) to identify factors which may be associated with low mood in stroke patients with aphasia. Method: The items Happy and Energetic of the VAMS were reversed for a more consistent format. All participants completed a questionnaire including the revised version of the VAMS (VAMS-R), the Hospital & Anxiety Depression Scale (BADS), but also four key items of the VAMS-R which were repeated with and without verbal descriptors to assess their content and test-rest reliability. Aphasic stroke patients were recruited both from hospital and community settings and completed assessments at recruitment and at six months follow up. Participants were assessed on measures of communication, cognition, mood, activities of daily living, and disability associated with living with aphasia. Carers also completed assessments of caregiving strain and satisfaction with care at six months follow up. Results: The VAMS-R showed good evidence of validity and reliability in a community sample of 50 older adults and in 71 stroke patients with aphasia. In the main study, 132 aphasic stroke patients were invited to take part, 71 consented and completed baseline assessments and 63 were followed up at six months. Most participants (n=47) were recruited in the community, 38 were men

Introduction Reducing length of hospital stay for stroke survivors often creates a shift in the responsibility of care towards informal carers. Adjustment to the caregiving process is experienced by many carers as overwhelming, complex and demanding, and can have a detrimental impact on mental and physical health and wellbeing. National policy guidelines recommend that carers’ needs are considered and addressed; despite this, few interventions have been developed and empirically evaluated. We developed a biopsychosocial intervention in collaboration with carers of stroke survivors. Our aim is to determine whether the intervention can be delivered in a group setting and evaluated using a randomised controlled trial (RCT). Methods and Analysis Feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT) and nested qualitative interview study. We aim to recruit up to 40 stroke carers within one year of the stroke onset. Carers are randomised to usual care or usual care plus biopsychosocial intervention. Each intervention group will consist of five stroke carers. The intervention will focus on: psychoeducation, psychological adjustment to stroke, strategies for reducing unwanted negative thoughts and emotions, and problem solving strategies. The main outcome is the feasibility of conducting an RCT. Carer outcomes at six months include: anxiety and depression, quality of life, and carer strain. Data is also collected from stroke survivors at baseline and six months including: level of disability, anxiety and depression, and quality of life. Ethics and Dissemination Favourable ethical opinion was provided by East Midlands – Nottingham2 Research Ethics Committee (14/EMI/1264). This study will determine whether delivery of the biopsychosocial intervention is feasible and acceptable to stroke carers within a group format. It will also determine whether it is feasible to evaluate the effects of the biopsychosocial intervention in an RCT. We will disseminate our findings through peer-reviewe

Objective To modify a published group intervention for adjustment to multiple sclerosis (MS) to suit an individual format, and to assess the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to compare individual and group intervention for people with multiple sclerosis and low mood. Design Feasibility randomised controlled trial. Setting Participants were recruited through healthcare professionals at a hospital-based multiple sclerosis service and the MS Society. Subjects People with multiple sclerosis. Interventions Adjustment to multiple sclerosis in individual or group delivery format. Main measures Participants completed mood and quality of life assessments at baseline and at four-month follow-up. Measures of feasibility included: recruitment rate, acceptability of randomisation and the intervention (content and format), and whether the intervention could be adapted for individual delivery. Participants were screened for inclusion using the General Health Questionnaire-12 and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and were randomly allocated to receive either individual or group intervention, with the same content. Results Twenty-one participants were recruited (mean age 48.5 years, SD 10.5) and were randomly allocated to individual (n=11) or group (n=10) intervention. Of those offered individual treatment, nine (82%) completed all six sessions. Of those allocated to group intervention, two (20%) attended all six sessions and three (30%) attended five sessions. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups on the outcome measures of mood and quality of life.

Introduction Reducing length of hospital stay for stroke survivors often creates a shift in the responsibility of care towards informal carers. Adjustment to the caregiving process is experienced by many carers as overwhelming, complex and demanding, and can have a detrimental impact on mental and physical health and wellbeing. National policy guidelines recommend that carers’ needs are considered and addressed; despite this, few interventions have been developed and empirically evaluated. We developed a biopsychosocial intervention in collaboration with carers of stroke survivors. Our aim is to determine whether the intervention can be delivered in a group setting and evaluated using a randomised controlled trial (RCT). Methods and Analysis Feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT) and nested qualitative interview study. We aim to recruit up to 40 stroke carers within one year of the stroke onset. Carers are randomised to usual care or usual care plus biopsychosocial intervention. Each intervention group will consist of five stroke carers. The intervention will focus on: psychoeducation, psychological adjustment to stroke, strategies for reducing unwanted negative thoughts and emotions, and problem solving strategies. The main outcome is the feasibility of conducting an RCT. Carer outcomes at six months include: anxiety and depression, quality of life, and carer strain. Data is also collected from stroke survivors at baseline and six months including: level of disability, anxiety and depression, and quality of life. Ethics and Dissemination Favourable ethical opinion was provided by East Midlands – Nottingham2 Research Ethics Committee (14/EMI/1264). This study will determine whether delivery of the biopsychosocial intervention is feasible and acceptable to stroke carers within a group format. It will also determine whether it is feasible to evaluate the effects of the biopsychosocial intervention in an RCT. We will disseminate our findings through peer-reviewe

Objective To modify a published group intervention for adjustment to multiple sclerosis (MS) to suit an individual format, and to assess the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to compare individual and group intervention for people with multiple sclerosis and low mood. Design Feasibility randomised controlled trial. Setting Participants were recruited through healthcare professionals at a hospital-based multiple sclerosis service and the MS Society. Subjects People with multiple sclerosis. Interventions Adjustment to multiple sclerosis in individual or group delivery format. Main measures Participants completed mood and quality of life assessments at baseline and at four-month follow-up. Measures of feasibility included: recruitment rate, acceptability of randomisation and the intervention (content and format), and whether the intervention could be adapted for individual delivery. Participants were screened for inclusion using the General Health Questionnaire-12 and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and were randomly allocated to receive either individual or group intervention, with the same content. Results Twenty-one participants were recruited (mean age 48.5 years, SD 10.5) and were randomly allocated to individual (n=11) or group (n=10) intervention. Of those offered individual treatment, nine (82%) completed all six sessions. Of those allocated to group intervention, two (20%) attended all six sessions and three (30%) attended five sessions. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups on the outcome measures of mood and quality of life.

Background: Post-stroke depression (PSD) is a common phenomenon and has a negative impact on rehabilitation, recovery and quality of life. About one third of stroke patients suffer communication problems, including aphasia, which is a condition that mainly affects their ability in understanding and/or producing language. The frequency of depressive symptoms in post-stroke aphasia has been difficult to determine as most studies have excluded stroke patients with aphasia due to methodological limitations. As a result, depression remains often under-diagnosed and untreated in these patients. Objectives: The purpose of this thesis was 1) to develop and validate a revised version of the Visual Analogue Mood Scales (YAMS), and 2) to identify factors which may be associated with low mood in stroke patients with aphasia. Method: The items Happy and Energetic of the VAMS were reversed for a more consistent format. All participants completed a questionnaire including the revised version of the VAMS (VAMS-R), the Hospital & Anxiety Depression Scale (BADS), but also four key items of the VAMS-R which were repeated with and without verbal descriptors to assess their content and test-rest reliability. Aphasic stroke patients were recruited both from hospital and community settings and completed assessments at recruitment and at six months follow up. Participants were assessed on measures of communication, cognition, mood, activities of daily living, and disability associated with living with aphasia. Carers also completed assessments of caregiving strain and satisfaction with care at six months follow up. Results: The VAMS-R showed good evidence of validity and reliability in a community sample of 50 older adults and in 71 stroke patients with aphasia. In the main study, 132 aphasic stroke patients were invited to take part, 71 consented and completed baseline assessments and 63 were followed up at six months. Most participants (n=47) were recruited in the community, 38 were men