EXPERIENCE OF STROKE RECOVERY FOR WOMEN 60 OR OLDER
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Date
2019-01-01
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Department
Gerontology
Program
Gerontology
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Distribution Rights granted to UMBC by the author.
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Access limited to the UMBC community. Item may possibly be obtained via Interlibrary Loan thorugh a local library, pending author/copyright holder's permission.
This item is likely protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. Unless on a Creative Commons license, for uses protected by Copyright Law, contact the copyright holder or the author.
Abstract
Stroke is a common health concern in the U.S. with 795,000 new strokes each year. Women dominate these numbers, with 55,000 more strokes per year than men, yet they are disproportionately underrepresented in stroke research. Some research indicates that women have worse physiological and psychosocial outcomes after stroke than men, yet little is known about how they experience recovery. This research fills a gap in focusing on how women experience recovery after stroke. Through use of a qualitative phenomenological approach, this study provides insight regarding their lived experiences. The research asks, "What is the experience of stroke recovery for community dwelling women age 60 or older?” The following aims were developed: 1) To describe women’s experiences of recovery after stroke, 2) To determine how women experience self during the stroke recovery process, and 3) To establish how women define normal life before and after stroke. The participants were 10 women, ages 60 – 78, with times post-stroke ranging from 4 months to 15 years. They participated in 2 semi-structured interviews, with auto-photography used to enhance their sharing of information. Between the two interviews, they were provided with a digital camera and asked to take pictures that helped to explain their lives before and after stroke. During the 2nd interview, participants shared and described their pictures, and answered additional questions about their recovery. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and the narrative transcripts were the primary data source for analysis. The narratives were coded and analyzed thematically to describe how this sample of individuals experienced stroke recovery. Four overarching themes emerged from the data: 1) the stroke event, 2) a new chapter, 3) meaning and process of recovery, and 4) self-identity. Various subthemes emerged under each theme and are discussed in detail in the dissertations. In general, narratives revealed that recovery is described as a complex, individualized, and subjective experience that extends beyond overt physical abilities. Participants in this study experienced changes in self-identity and described a "new normal” after stroke. Implications and recommendations for rehabilitation, research, and policy are discussed.