Information provision for stroke patients and their caregivers

Studies have shown that stroke survivors and their carers often feel they have not been given enough information about stroke and feel unprepared for life after discharge from hospital. However, the best way to provide information after stroke is unclear. The authors of this review looked at the evidence for the effectiveness of providing information to patients, or carers of patients, who have had a stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA), sometimes called a mini-stroke. They examined randomised trials (studies) in which one group of stroke patients or carers who were given the intervention being tested (such as a course of lectures) was compared with a group of stroke patients or carers who received standard care. Seventeen studies, involving 1773 patients and 1058 carers, were included in the review. Overall, the studies showed that providing information to patients and carers improved their knowledge of stroke and increased patient satisfaction with some, but not all, of the information they received about stroke. There was also an effect on reducing patient depression, although the reduction was small and would probably not be enough to seem meaningful to patients. When information was provided in a way that more actively involved patients and carers, for example by offering repeated opportunities to ask questions, it had more effect on patient mood than information which was given on one occasion only. There is not much evidence that providing information had effects on other aspects of patient or carer stroke recovery such as independence or social activities.