Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Århus, Denmark.
Disabil Rehabil. 2012;34(8):665-70. doi: 10.3109/09638288.2011.615373. Epub 2011 Oct 13.
To describe how fatigue is experienced by stroke survivors, how they understand and deal with fatigue and how fatigue impacts their daily life.
A qualitative interview study was carried out as part of a larger longitudinal study investigating the prevalence, characteristics and contributing factors to post-stroke fatigue. Thirty-two participants (15 men and 17 women) were strategically sampled to explore the experiences of fatigue. Participants were interviewed at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years post-stroke. Data were analysed applying a Grounded theory approach.
Patients clearly described and differentiated their experience between: (1) tiredness as an ordinary life event and (2) fatigue as a post-stroke life condition. Three fatigue-transforming strategies were identified, being on a mission, settling for less and stalling. Stalling seemed to put the stroke survivors in a particularly vulnerable situation. Over time, some participants moved between these two tiredness/fatigue manifestations and their range of strategies.
Post-stroke fatigue is a new life experience different from ordinary tiredness and seems to be a significant problem in the stroke survivors' struggle to regain a new normalcy. Intervention studies are needed to reduce the impact of post-stroke fatigue on coping and recovery.
描述中风幸存者的疲劳体验、他们对疲劳的理解和应对方式，以及疲劳对日常生活的影响。
作为一项更大的纵向研究的一部分，进行了一项定性访谈研究，该研究旨在调查中风后疲劳的患病率、特征和促成因素。对 32 名参与者（15 名男性和 17 名女性）进行了战略性抽样，以探讨疲劳的体验。参与者在中风后 6 个月、1 年和 2 年接受访谈。应用扎根理论方法进行数据分析。
患者清楚地描述并区分了他们的经历：（1）疲劳是日常生活中的普通事件；（2）疲劳是中风后的生活状况。确定了三种疲劳转化策略，分别是：（1）有任务在身；（2）接受现状；（3）停滞不前。停滞不前似乎使中风幸存者处于特别脆弱的境地。随着时间的推移，一些参与者在这两种疲劳/疲劳表现及其策略之间转换。
中风后疲劳是一种新的生活体验，与普通疲劳不同，似乎是中风幸存者在努力恢复新常态过程中面临的一个重大问题。需要进行干预研究来减轻中风后疲劳对应对和康复的影响。
