Multidisciplinary rehabilitation outcomes of stroke patients in the Western Cape of South Africa

Abstract

Multidisciplinary rehabilitation can be implemented to address disability post stroke. The aim of this study was to determine outcomes of stroke patients managed by a multidisciplinary team at a step-down facility in the Western Cape. A longitudinal observational study was used to measure outcomes at baseline and discharge. Outcomes measured included functional status, quality of life and participants’ views on satisfaction with rehabilitation and family support. The research instruments used to collect the data included: a socio-demographic questionnaire; a subjective functional assessment in the form of the Barthel Index; a health-related quality of life questionnaire in the form of the EQ-5D; a biopsychosocial questionnaire, including a perceived family support questionnaire and a perceived subjective satisfaction questionnaire; a rehabilitation process data gathering instrument; a ‘Use of Care’ questionnaire. Using the regression model, the findings of this study identified that perceived health-related quality of life of participants was the strongest and most significant factor (p<.000) influencing the functional outcomes of stroke participants at discharge, accounting for 90.6% of the variance of function. The participants had a mean number of interventions of 17 times, with a mean intensity of treatment being 35.8 minutes (SD 3.26) with physiotherapy being the most consulted healthcare profession. Perceived quality of life and patient satisfaction with multidisciplinary rehabilitation, correlated significantly with a higher functional outcome at discharge in individuals’ post-stroke.

Keywords: Stroke, multi-disciplinary rehabilitation, outcomes.