Talk to the Veterans Crisis Line now
An official website of the United States government
Search | Search by Center | Search by Source | Keywords in Title
Faircloth CA, Boylstein CA, Van Puymbroeck. Using Qualitative and Quantitative Methods: An Interdisciplinary Approach. Paper presented at: Evidence-Based Rehabilitation Joint Annual Conference; 2004 Sep 12; Ponte Vedra, FL.
Abstract from 'Bodily Changes and Sense of Self Post-Stroke', submitted for this panelObjectives:The purpose of this study was to analyze how patients experience bodily changes post-stroke and how these changes affect sense of self. Managing disabilities following discharge home after stroke creates a situation where a sense of self is altered as bodily functions change. Methods:Data were collected from an ongoing multi-site study in VISN 8. A total of 51 veterans between the ages of 46 to 84 were interviewed at one month post-discharge. To be eligible for the study, each veteran had to be able to participate in a semi-structured qualitative interview and be discharged home with a caregiver. The interviews were transcribed and imported into N6, a computer-assisted qualitative analysis software program. Grounded theory was used to identify themes and patterns in the data.Results:Analyses indicate that patients experienced significant changes in sense of self and their own bodily functions. Two primary patterns of experiences will be described: (1) Adapting and managing changes related to the body not responding in usual ways; and (2) Adapting to a changed sense of self following a stroke. Conclusions:Changes in bodily functions and the loss of taken-for-granted assumptions about the body alter the way people see themselves. These changes are important processes of recovery that are often ignored in rehabilitation. Implications:Rehabilitation programs that focus on functional recovery without concern for changes in sense of self may fail to address a significant process in the patient's recovery. These findings provide important insights that can help clinicians understand psychosocial processes following stroke.
