68
Views
5
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Original Articles

Rehabilitation Experts’ Experience of Community Rehabilitation Services for Stroke Survivors in Iran

, , , &
Pages 395-404 | Published online: 23 Dec 2014
 

Abstract

Purpose: Successful stroke rehabilitation is a complex process involving teamwork by members of several professions. The aims of this study were to explore the experiences of Iranian rehabilitation experts concerning community rehabilitation services for stroke survivors and obtain their opinions on how to further develop and improve these services. Method: A qualitative research method with grounded theory was used, including purposive and theoretical sampling. A constant comparative analysis was conducted. Data were gathered from 2 focus group discussions including 10 Iranian rehabilitation experts and 4 in-depth individual interviews. Results: Nonintegrated rehabilitation services emerged as the core concept of the study. The explored concepts were identified as deficiently allocated budget, inadequate public insurance, lack of availability of rehabilitative care, negative public opinion, lack of consistency in care, and split services and professional separation. Areas identified for potential improvement included need to change policymakers’ attitudes, need to refine rehabilitation in the health care system, need to establish a registration system, need to provide information and skills, and need to see the family as a whole. Conclusion: Experts should participate in educational rehabilitation programs to become more aware of current rehabilitation services within the community. Stroke survivors and their families should also participate in the rehabilitation programs as this would allow them to gain knowledge and skills for dealing with stroke management. This can help reduce problems, change public opinion, and eliminate mistrust between health care providers and families.

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.