Second Chances: A Quality of Life Study following a Stroke

Overview

Surviving a stroke is the leading risk factor for suffering a second, more devastating stroke, and since stroke is often associated with tragic outcomes, the process of recovery can be seen as a second chance to prevent the most serious consequences associated with the condition. Further education is needed to understand just how devastating and challenging the effects of stroke can be to help increase attention to and further define prevention and recovery best practices.

Second Chances is an collaborative study with Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Research Institute - Center on Outcomes, Research and Education (CORE), the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), the National Stroke Association, and Boehringer Ingelheim. Second Chances is designed to expand upon wht work CORE has conducted in the area of health-related quality of life (HRQL) as it pertains to neurological disease, specifically stroke.

Study Objectives:

• Conduct an extensive review of existing literature on stroke survivorship
• Describe quality of life and health status following completion of stroke rehabilitation
• Evaluate the feasibility of Neuro-QoL item banks with stroke survivors
• Provide treatment recommendations that enhance quality of life following stroke

How IRC Is Involved

Since December 1993, researchers at RIC have maintained a registry of patients who have suffered a previous stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). As part of the Second Chances initiative, up to 150 former patients from this registry will be invited to participate in an interview and to complete a series of questionnaires that assess patients’ medical care, functional status, and aspects of their health-related quality of life to better understand the stroke survivorship experience.

For more information www.SecondChancesStudy.com (opens new window).