Contextual influences on the success of self-management post stroke

Health reform has led to a prioritisation of self-management, a means whereby people with long term conditions are helped to develop the skills and behaviours required to manage the long term effects of their condition. Significant benefits in terms of personal outcomes as well as resource utilisation have been reported. In line with these developments, self-management following stroke is increasingly accepted as one means of addressing the long term nature of stroke and identified long term unmet needs. However, currently there is no experiential definition of self-management as understood and lived by stroke survivors. There is also limited understanding of contextual influences on self-management despite their recognised influence in other long term conditions. One area of enquiry relates to the role of social support in supporting the development of self-management skills and implementation of effective self-management strategies.The overall aim of this project is to explore the contextual influences on self-management as experienced by community dwelling stroke survivors over the first year post stroke. This requires exploration of four specific questions. How is self-management understood by stroke survivors? Does their understanding of self-management change over time? What factors are perceived to influence the development and enactment of self-management following stroke?Do those influences change over time?These questions could be explored through quantitative or qualitative methods although it is envisaged that a longitudinal qualitative study would be the most appropriate in the first instance. This study has relevance within the UK context but would be equally appropriate to explore within other countries where the use of self-management post stroke is emerging, including Brazil.

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This is a self funded topic

Brunel offers a number of funding options to research students that help cover the cost of their tuition fees, contribute to living expenses or both. See more information here: https://www.brunel.ac.uk/research/Research-degrees/Research-degree-funding. The UK Government is also offering Doctoral Student Loans for eligible students, and there is some funding available through the Research Councils. Many of our international students benefit from funding provided by their governments or employers. Brunel alumni enjoy tuition fee discounts of 15%.