Randomized controlled trial of a comprehensive stroke education program for patients and caregivers

Background and Purpose-We report the findings of a randomized controlled tr ial to determine the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary Stroke Education Program (SEP) for patients and their informal carers. Methods-Two hundred four patients admitted with acute stroke and their 176 informal carers were randomized to receive an invitation to the SEP or to r eceive conventional stroke unit care, The SEP consisted of one 1-hour small group educational session for inpatients followed by six 1-hour sessions a fter discharge. The primary outcome measure was patient- and carer-perceive d health status (SF-36) at 6 months after stroke. Knowledge of stroke, sati sfaction with services, emotional outcome, disability, and handicap and wer e secondary outcome measures, Results-Only 51 of 108 (47%) surviving patients randomized to the SEP compl eted the program, as did 20 of 93 (22%) informal carers of surviving patien ts. Perceived health status (Short Form 36 [SF-36] health survey) scores we re similar for SEP patients and controls. Informal carers in the control gr oup scored better on the social functioning component of the SF-36 than the SEP group (P=0.04), Patients and informal carers in the SEP group scored h igher on the stroke knowledge scale than controls (patients, P=0.02; carers , P=0.01). Patients in the SEP group were more satisfied with the informati on that they had received about stroke (P=0.004), There were no differences in emotional or functional outcomes between groups, Conclusions-Although the SEP improved patient and informal carer knowledge about stroke and patient satisfaction with some components of stroke servic es, this was not associated with an improvement in their perceived health s tatus, Indeed, the social functioning of informal carers randomized to the SEP was less than in the control group.