“Wasting time”: a qualitative study of stroke survivors’ experiences of boredom in non-therapy time during inpatient rehabilitation

Abstract

Purpose

Stroke survivors regularly report experiencing boredom during inpatient rehabilitation which may detrimentally affect mood, learning and engagement in activities important for functional recovery. This study explores how stroke survivors meaningfully occupy their non-therapy time and their experiences of boredom, to further our understanding of this complex phenomenon.

Methods

Secondary analysis of transcripts from semi-structured interviews with stroke survivors exploring activity during non-therapy time. Transcripts were coded and analysed using a hybrid approach of inductive and deductive thematic analysis, guided by a published boredom framework.

Results

Analysis of 58 interviews of 36 males and 22 females, median age 70 years, revealed four main themes: (i) Resting during non-therapy time is valued, (ii) Managing “wasted” time, (iii) Meaningful environments support autonomy and restore a sense of normality, and (iv) Wired to be social. Whilst limited therapy, social opportunities and having “nothing to do” were common experiences, those individuals who felt in control and responsible for driving their own stroke recovery tended to report less boredom during their rehabilitation stay.

Conclusion

Creating rehabilitation environments that support autonomy, socialisation and opportunities to participate in activity are clear targets to reduce boredom during non-therapy time, increase meaningful engagement and possibly improve rehabilitation outcomes post-stroke.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION

• Stroke survivors with a low sense of autonomy are at greater risk of boredom and may benefit from person-centred strategies to support participation in meaningful activities during non-therapy time whilst undertaking inpatient rehabilitation.

• Review and reduction of paternalistic practices within traditional models of care, to increase patient autonomy, may empower stroke survivors to drive their own activity and reduce boredom.

• The redesign and reorganisation of rehabilitation environments to increase opportunities for socialisation and access to nature and the outdoors may reduce boredom during inpatient rehabilitation.

Keywords:

• Boredom
• stroke
• rehabilitation
• engagement
• healthcare environments
• autonomy

Acknowledgements

We thank all stroke survivors who contributed their time and Dr Julie Luker and research assistant David Shakespeare who contributed to KK’s initial training and interpretation in qualitative data analysis.

Author contributions

KK, HJ, JB and NJS designed the study; KK, MT and HJ performed the data analysis, KK, HJ and MT wrote the manuscript and all authors were involved in manuscript revision.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This sub-study was conducted as part of the first author’s PhD who received assistance from an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship and a University of Newcastle Faculty of Health and Medicine Scholarship. NJS was supported by a NSW Health Cardiovascular Research Capacity Program, Senior Researcher Grant H20/28248.