The impact of an information pack on patients with stroke and their carers: a randomized controlled trial

Objectives: To assess the impact of information packs on patients with stro ke and their carers, and to pilot some of the methodology for a trial of a Family Support Organiser (FSO). Subjects. Seventy-one patients admitted to Oxford hospitals with acute stro ke during February-July 1995, and 49 informal carers of these patients. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Intervention group received an informa tion pack containing various Stroke Association publications one month afte r their stroke, or at discharge from hospital, whichever was sooner. Contro l group received nothing. Follow-up was by interview at the place of reside nce of the patients six months after their stroke. Measures: Outcome measures assessed knowledge about stroke; satisfaction wi th information received; patient behaviour in terms of access to community services and benefits; and health status and quality of life. Results. Patients and carers in the intervention group tended to know more about stroke, but these differences were not significant once adjusted for age. Patients in the intervention group (but not carers) tended to be more satisfied with the information that they had received, but the differences were not significant. There were no differences with regard to any aspects of quality of life in patients in the intervention group, though carers in the intervention group were found to have significantly better mental healt h (p = 0.04). Conclusion:: While the study was too small to generate firm conclusions, in formation leaflets may lead to improved knowledge about stroke several mont hs after they have been distributed. This finding is worth following up wit h larger studies. The stroke knowledge questionnaire that was piloted in th is trial seems to be able to detect differences between groups.