Stroke survivors survey published

A study led by King’s College London, commissioned by The Stroke Association, reveals for the first time the extent of the financial impact of having a stroke, making stroke survivors amongst the most vulnerable in society.

The UK Stroke Survivor Needs Survey, carried out by the Division of Health and Social Care Research at King’s, shows that more than half of the people employed at the time of their stroke (52 per cent) said it had a negative impact on their work, meaning they had to reduce their hours or give up work entirely.

Data was gathered from a total of 799 respondents throughout the UK making the study the first of its size to offer a compelling and accurate reflection of the challenges that stroke survivors face.

A fifth of people (18 per cent) said they had a loss of income since their stroke and a third (33 per cent) said they had to endure an increase in expenses, such as making adaptations to their home or having to pay more to heat their home during the day because they cannot work. The report also showed that people who had difficultly speaking and communicating after their stroke were significantly more likely to experience problems with their work, income and increased expenses.

The survey aimed to find out the extent of problems people have to deal with following a stroke. It found that almost half of those questioned had on average three unmet needs, meaning that they weren’t getting any support or help with their problems.

Dr Christopher McKevitt, the survey lead at King’s, said: ‘Much of the previous research into stroke has focused on hospital care and this is the first time that the difficulties stroke survivors face when they get home have been looked at in detail. Our research shows that stroke is a long-term condition and the appropriate support is needed to help address these problems.’

Joe Korner, Director of Communications for The Stroke Association said: ‘This report paints a bleak picture of stroke survivors struggling to make ends meet. The survey revealed that over half of people (54 percent) didn’t receive the information they needed after their stroke, such as advice on diet and benefits entitlements. We know that many people have to give up work and go on benefits to survive hand-to-mouth, so it’s distressing to find out, that despite the progress made in improving stroke provision in recent years, people aren’t getting the support they need.

‘We are worried that existing services to help people with their communication problems, paid for by local authorities and Primary Care Trusts may now be under threat. With local authorities having to cut spending by 7 percent a year it’s possible they will raise the eligibility criteria to receive care. It is vital that stroke survivors do not fall into a black hole.’