What we are doing - Psychosocial well-being after stroke
Our research has been underway for a year. We have conducted two literature reviews. One looking at general experiences of wellbeing after stroke in Aotearoa, and one looking at Māori experiences after stroke. These have been submitted for publication and summaries can be found below. We are well underway with data collection and analysis for the next phase of the project exploring how wellbeing is currently adressed in stroke care practices.
DECEMBER 2022: A PDF update of our study to date
APRIL 2022: A PDF update of our study to date
Literature reviews
A summary of the literature reviews was shared at the Stroke Symposium of Australasia in August 2022. The poster can be viewed here
We wanted to find out what people have said about how they experience well-being after a stroke here in Aotearoa. Through reviewing the qualitative literature on life after stroke in Aotearoa, four things appear to be key to experiencing well-being:
- Strong connections
- Sense of self
- Stable in the present
- A vision of the future
This paper has been submitted to a journal for publication.
We are currently completing a literature review of Māori experiences of life after stroke, drawing on published research and theses. This deepens our understandings and highlights Māori whakaaro (thoughts) of what is important, beyond what we found in our general review above. Aspects important for well-being include:
- Whānaungatanga and connection;
- Wairua and the upholding of mana;
- One’s identity as Māori; and
- Rangatiratanga
Whānau is particularly important in supporting well-being, for enhancing people’s wairua after stroke, and upholding mana. It is clear that stroke has a ripple effect on the well-being of others within the wider whānau that is often not recognised or acknowledged.
What are our next steps?
In 2022, we will build a deeper understanding of what is currently happening in care, what stroke survivors and whānau experience in stroke services, and what they need to support their long-term well-being. We need to learn more about how services are structured and funded, and how this impacts on what happens for patients.
We are already hearing what people think is working well in supporting well-being. We are also getting clear messages about what could be done differently to support the well-being of stroke survivors and whānau. We will take our research back to the communities involved—clinicians, stroke whānau and stroke managers—to explore their priorities for change.
In the final year of the project, we will develop resources to support psychosocial well-being. The exact nature of these, including who these will be for, will be determined (with stakeholder engagement) during the research process. Whilst there may be many resources that might be helpful, we will likely focus on one or two particular areas, given the resources we have to work with.
Would you like more information?
Just let us know! We are really happy to share information on a regular basis via email.
If you would like us to share any of the work we’re doing with your team (e.g. at an inservice), we’re really happy to explore this with you.
We can be contacted in the following ways:
- Email any enquiry to wellbeing.study@aut.ac.nz or
- Felicity Bright: felicity.bright@aut.ac.nz or
- BJ Wilson: bjwilson@aut.ac.nz
You can also Download our study flyer
Psychosocial well-being after stroke study
Supporting well-being after stroke to improve understanding and enhancing care.