Stroke Self-Management: Effect on Function and Stroke Specific Quality of Life

The experience of a stroke event may result in a disruption to the survivor's daily life. Patients with stroke have reported fears of permanent disability and major concerns over their ability to recover and be productive and engaged with family, friends and coworkers. To enhance recovery from stroke, the investigators designed a stroke self-management program and have pilot tested the program among Veterans recovering from stroke/TIA. The study is a three-site, randomized controlled trial designed to test the efficacy of a stroke self-management program. The intervention program includes 6 bi-weekly sessions over months 1-3 followed by monthly telephone calls as the investigators administered in the investigators' pilot study during months 4-6 for a total length of program duration of 6 months. The investigators have added 3 monthly group support sessions during months 4-6 for additional peer support. Thus, participants will receive bi-monthly support during months 4-6. The three intervention sites include the Jesse Brown VAMC in Chicago, the Roudebush VAMC in Indianapolis, and the IU Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. The three hospitals represent facilities with a small, moderate, and large volume of acute stroke care, respectively. Additionally, Methodist Hospital includes a greater proportion of women which enables us to study the patterns and preferences of women with stroke/TIA and tailor the investigators' future programs to prepare for the increasing female Veteran population.