Unmet Supportive Care Needs Among Survivors of Stroke in Australia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Purpose/Objective: To examine, among survivors of stroke: (a) the prevalence of and most frequently reported unmet needs; and (b) the sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with higher counts of unmet needs. Research Method/Design: A cross-sectional study was undertaken with survivors of stroke recently discharged from eight hospitals in Australia, with institutional board approval. Survivors were mailed one survey for completion after their discharge from hospital. Unmet needs were measured by the Longer-Term Unmet Needs After Stroke (LUNS) tool. The number and percentage of participants who reported unmet needs were calculated. The association of sociodemographic factors, type of stroke, and thrombolysis treatment to total LUNS scores was examined using mixed ordinal logistic regression. Results: A total of 402 survivors (35% of those approached) between April 2018 to December 2019 returned a completed survey. 83% reported at least one unmet need. The most frequently reported unmet need was needing more information about their stroke (n =239, 61%). Those who identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander had approximately 5.6-fold higher odds (OR = 5.59, p =.025) of having more longer-term unmet needs compared to those who did not identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Conclusions/Implications: Unmet needs are common in recently discharged survivors of stroke. These findings may be used to inform strategies that support recovery. Providing more information may help reduce unmet needs among survivors of stroke. Enhanced hospital discharge planning and enhanced community services for survivors may help better prepare themand their caregivers for the return home.