Determining work outcomes in mild to moderate stroke survivors.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the work outcomes of individuals who have a mild to moderate stroke.

PARTICIPANTS

Individuals who (1) experienced a mild to moderate stroke as determined by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores (range 0-16); (2) were working full time prior to their stroke; and (3) were between the ages of 30-65.

METHODS

Participants were contacted and provided verbal consent to complete the Occupational Outcome Questionnaire (OOQ) over the telephone at 6 months post-stroke to determine their work outcomes.

RESULTS

Of the 98 participants recruited for this study, 37% (n = 36) never returned to work following stroke. Of the 63% (n = 62) who did return to work, 90% (n = 56) returned immediately to their previous jobs at their previous level. Of those returning to work, 56% (n = 35) of individuals reported performing at 75% of their ability or less. Further, the majority of all participants reported chronic symptoms from their strokes.

CONCLUSIONS

The current assumption in the literature is that individuals experiencing mild to moderate strokes are returning to work even in the absence of work rehabilitation services. The assumptions of previous literature can be disputed with the results of the current study.