Exploring the perception of health care professionals around

Post-stroke fatigue in Saudi Arabia: a qualitative interview study

Wafa Alahmari12, Ahmed Alhowimel3, Mazyad Alotaibi3,Pip Logan2, Eirini Kontou2 Neil Coulson2 .1College of Health and Rehabilitation
Sciences, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University , Saudi Arabia. 2Division of Rehabilitation and Ageing, School of Medicine, University
of Nottingham, United Kingdom. 3Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Department, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia.

Background Key themes and subthemes Results

• Post-stroke fatigue (PSF) is common. Globally, there • Interviews were conducted with 24 health care
are ≈33 million stroke survivors, and at least half of professionals
these individuals experience fatigue. • Mean years of experience of handling stroke patients
• PSF is disabling consequence of stroke, considered to is 9.04 (SD 5.08).
be a complex multidimensional phenomenon. 1. Factors associated
2. Management of PSF.
3. Lack of awareness
of PSF among patients,
4. Areas to improve
in the current • Four main themes were generated.
with PSF.
• Patients with PSF have difficulty in resuming social, caregivers & HCP. management of PSF.

familial, and professional activities and have low QOL

Past medical history and Evaluation and Patients lack of awareness
scores. patients conditions. measurement of PSF. about PSF.
Increase knowledge.

• How to manage and prevent fatigue is ranked by PSF and Comorbidity. Assessing endurance level
to measure PSF
Patients not reporting PSF. Necessity to learn
appropriate PSF assessment
Discussion and Conclusion
stroke survivors and health professionals among the PSF and old age.
Assessing functional level
Patients perceive PSF
as normal phenomenon. Needs to set clinical

top 10 research priorities relating to life after stroke. PSF and Gender. to measure PSF. guidelines and management

Medical factors.
Subjective methods Caregiver and family
pathway of PSF. • Across all three professional groups, there appeared
to evaluate PSF. misunderstand PSF.
Cognitive impairments. Ability to complete
Raise awareness and educate.
to be a general lack of awareness around post-stroke
exercise sessions.
fatigue and particularly in relation to its assessment
Perspectives of therapists
Include PSF in patients
on PSF.
education materials.

Aim and management.

Psychological factors. Screen and manage
aggravating PSF is endurance level.

Depression, and lack of sleep.

Rule out the Confounding factors. PSF neglected from HCP.
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  • Specific concerns were expressed around the


 

• The study aimed to explore experience of physicians,
Lack of motivation Fear and
lackof confidence to move around. Sleep management.  


† difficulties of communicating with patients identified

HCP never takes it up to

physiotherapists and occupational therapists in Fear and lack ofconfidence seminars or conferences. as experiencing post-stroke fatigue and an absence of
to move around. Exercises therapy.

managing patients with post-stroke fatigue (PSF) in Mental fatigue.

PSF not important.
educational support materials.
Gradual endurance training.
Saudi Arabia. Functional and life style factors.
Exercise Group therapy.
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Breathing exercises.  

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  Rest periods between exercises.

References
  
    

Methods

  

 Energy conservation techniques.  


 

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Multidisciplinary team approach.
• AARNES, R., STUBBERUD, J. & LERDAL, A. 2019. A literature review of
• Using purposive sampling, 24 participants who had a Check medications with nurse.
factors associated with fatigue after stroke and a proposal for a
minimum of 2- years of experience with stroke patients.
Referral between Therapist and physicians.
framework for clinical utility. Neuropsychological rehabilitation, 1-28.
Social worker’s recommendations to the physician.
• HINKLE, J. L., BECKER, K. J., KIM, J. S., CHOI-KWON, S., SABAN, K. L.,
• Face-to-face interviews. Therapist recommending working as a team.
MCNAIR, N. & MEAD, G. E. 2017. Poststroke Fatigue: Emerging Evidence
• Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with Patient and caregiver education.
and Approaches to Management: A Scientific Statement for Healthcare
professionals from three professional groups, Medication. Professionals From the American Heart Association. Stroke, 48,
physicians (n= 8), physiotherapists (n=8) and e159-e170.
Antidepressant medication.

occupational therapists (n=8) Stimulant medication.

• Audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed 






  
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using inductive thematic analysis. 
 
 

  

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