Psycho-Social Well Being Following Stroke

Psycho-Social Well Being Following Stroke - A Randomized Controlled Trial

Multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) testing the effect of a dialogue-based psychosocial intervention for stroke acute survivors in primary care one to six months poststroke. Primary outcome is psycho-social health and wellbeing, measured by GHQ28 (primary outcome) and SAQoL (secondary outcome). 400 stroke survivors are randomized into intervention group or control group. Patients are followed up for 12 months.

Inclusion Criteria:

• being adults (over 18 years old),
• suffered an acute stroke within the last month,
• medically stable,
• sufficient cognitive functioning to participate (assessed by their physician/stroke team and acceptable Raven's score (see below),
• interested in participating,
• able to understand and speak Norwegian, and
• able to give informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• moderate to severe dementia or other serious disease.

Persons with aphasia will be examined by a speech therapist and excluded if they have significant impressive aphasia or severe expressive aphasia inconsistent with participating in the dialogues.