Perseverance with home-based upper limb practice after stroke: perspectives of stroke survivors and their significant others

Figures & data

Table 1. Individual, dyadic and focus group interview guide.

1. Can you tell me about your stroke journey to date? 2. Can you tell me about your arm and hand recovery? 3. What about keeping going with practice, how did you go with that? 4. Tell me about what makes persevering with arm and hand practice at home easier? 5. Tell me about what makes persevering with arm and hand practice at home harder?

Figure 1. Flow of participants: Participant recruitment, eligibility, and interview type selection.

A flow diagram depicting stroke participant recruitment and eligibility, invitations extended to significant others, participants’ interview preferences, and the composition of focus group and dyadic interviews.

Table 2. Characteristics of stroke survivors.

Age, years, average (SD, range)	58 (14.41, 22–78)
Gender
Female, n (%)	14 (55)
Male, n (%)	17 (45)
Rurality^a
Metropolitan, n (%)	4 (13)
Regional, n (%)	8 (26)
Rural, n (%)	9 (29)
Remote, n (%)	10 (32)
Cultural Identity
Non-indigenous Australian, n (%)	18 (58)
Aboriginal Australian, n (%)	2 (6)
Other, n (%)	9 (29)
Time since stroke, years, average (SD, range)	7.89 (8.34, 0.25–32)
Stroke chronicity^b
Early subacute, n (%)	1 (3)
Late subacute, n (%)	3 (10)
Chronic, n (%)	27 (87)
Affected upper limb
Left, n (%)	21 (68)
Right, n (%)	10 (32)
Dominant hand affected
Yes, n (%)	14 (45)
No, n (%)	17 (55)
Level of upper limb impairment, self-reported
Mild, n (%)	8 (26)
Moderate, n (%)	7 (22)
Severe, n (%)	16 (51)
Self-reported perseverance with home-based upper limb practice
Yes, n (%)	21 (68)
No, n (%)	10 (32)

Key: ^aModified Monash Model [26] (Metropolitan = MMM 1, Regional = MMM 2, Rural = MMM 3-5, Remote = MMM 6-7); ^bStroke Rehabilitation and Recovery Roundtable – Stroke Chronicity [27] (Early subacute = 7 days – 3 months post-stroke, Late subacute = 3–6 months post-stroke, Chronic = >3 months post-stroke); SD = standard deviation.

Table 3. Characteristics of significant others.

Age, years, average (SD, range)	63 (11.83, 39–76)
Gender
Female, n (%)	6 (46)
Male, n (%)	7 (54)
Relationship to stroke survivor
Spouse, n (%)	11 (5)
Parent, n (%)	2 (15)
Key: SD = standard deviation.

Figure 2. Perseverance with home-based upper limb practice (adapted from Mitchie et al. 2014 [19]).

A diagram representing the factors that influence perseverance with home-based upper limb practice after stroke, comprised of the six themes identified in this study, mapped to the three central tenants of the COM-B [19].

Modified Monash Model Australia: Australian Government. 2019. https://www.health.gov.au/resources/apps-and-tools/health-workforce-locator/health-workforce-locator

 Google Scholar

Bernhardt J, Hayward KS, Kwakkel G, et al. Agreed definitions and a shared vision for new standards in stroke recovery research: the stroke recovery and rehabilitation roundtable taskforce. Int J Stroke. 2017;12(5):444–450.

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Michie S, Atkins L, West R. The behaviour change wheel: a guide to designing interventions. Great Britan: Silverback Publishing; 2014.

 Google Scholar

Data availability statement

Due to the nature of this research, participants of this study did not agree for their data to be shared publicly, so supporting data is not available.