What are we doing?

This PhD is made up of three studies:

• A systematic review of factors influencing clinical decision-making about access to stroke rehabilitation
• A qualitative study with stroke clinicians about their experience working with people with pre-existing dementia and how pre-existing dementia influences their clinical practice
• A quantitative study describing whether there is a difference in amount of stroke-specific rehabilitation received by patients with and without dementia

Why is it important?

Stroke and dementia are associated with age and incidence of both is rising worldwide, increasing the likelihood of both conditions co-occurring. Older patients are surviving stroke due to improvements in stroke care, which whilst positive, has multiple implications for rehabilitation service delivery. Pre-existing dementia is associated with poorer functional outcome after stroke. It is unclear however whether this is due to lack of access to, or inequality in, stroke rehabilitation.

How will we do it?          

This PhD used mixed methods to understand whether pre-existing dementia is a factor considered by clinicians when referring/admitting patients for rehabilitation, when providing rehabilitation interventions, and whether there is a difference in rehabilitation received by patients with and without pre-existing dementia.

Verity Longley completed this PhD in October 2018.

Who we are working with?

• Stroke services across Greater Manchester
• Stroke patients
• Clinicians working within stroke services in Greater Manchester

Downloadable Resources

• Publications

  Longley V, Peters S, Swarbrick C and Bowen A., 2018, What influences decisions about ongoing stroke rehabilitation for patients with pre-existing dementia or cognitive impairment: a qualitative study?, Sage Journal: Clinical Rehabilitation

   

  Longley V, Peters S, Swarbrick C and Bowen A., 2018, What factors affect clinical decision-making about access to stroke rehabilitation? A systematic review, Sage Journal: Clinical Rehabilitation

• Posters

  What factors affect access to stroke rehabilitation?: A systematic review - Longley V

More information

For more information please contact Verity Longley.