Sample characteristics | N | Median (range) |
---|---|---|
Total number of participants | 60 | |
Age at stroke | 44 | 44.5 (25–66) |
Participants' posts | ||
Number of posts on the forum/participant | 8 (1–305) | |
Number of posts about work/participant | 2 (1–27) | |
Identity person posting | ||
Stroke survivor | 51 | |
Carer | 9 | |
Gender of stroke survivor | ||
Male | 29 | |
Female | 23 | |
Not stated | 8 | |
Earliest returned to work | ||
Immediately—up to 3 months | 8 | |
3 months—up to 6 months | 9 | |
6 months—up to 12 months | 6 | |
1–2 years | 7 | |
Over 2 years | 1 | |
Not stated | 29 | |
Type of job§ | ||
1 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations | ||
1.1 Large employers and higher managerial and administrative occupations | 0 | |
1.2 Higher professional occupations | 2 | |
2 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations | 15 | |
3 Intermediate occupations | 12 | |
4 Small employers and own account workers | 1 | |
5 Lower supervisory and technical occupations | 0 | |
6 Semi-routine occupations | 4 | |
7 Routine occupations | 1 | |
8 Never worked and long-term unemployed | 0 | |
9 Other (eg, more than 1 job/category) | 2 | |
Not stated | 23 | |
Type of stroke | ||
Ischemic | 11 | |
Haemorrhagic | 4 | |
Stroke (unspecified) | 19 | |
TIA | 5 | |
Not stated | 21 | |
Residual impairments | ||
Only visible* | 0 | |
Both visible and invisible† | 16 | |
Invisible | 37 | |
Unknown | 5 | |
Specific residual impairments‡ | ||
Tiredness and fatigue | 29 | |
Walking difficulties, balance and coordination problems | 9 | |
Pain and headaches | 11 | |
Weakness, coldness, stiffness, shaking or numbness in body parts (eg, in hands) | 20 | |
Psychological or emotional difficulties (incl. depression, personality changes, emotional, confidence) | 22 | |
Cognitive problems (incl. memory, concentration, multitasking) | 16 | |
Language problems (eg, speaking, listening, reading, writing) | 12 | |
Vision difficulties (eg, side vision) | 5 | |
Other¶ | 22 |
*This includes physical problems such as walking difficulties (even if minor), mobility (including movement of arms or legs), balance and coordination issues, changes in the face, and speech problems. This categorisation is done by the researchers, and is based on what is reported in the data.
†Invisible disabilities include cognitive and psychological difficulties, but also issues such as hearing problems or pain. This categorisation is done by the researchers, and is based on what is reported in the data.
‡List is not exhaustive. Further, people could have reported more than one impairment.
¶All impairments and problems below n=5. (these include being ‘slow’ in the morning, feeling lightheaded, Hughes Syndrome, nausea or dizzy spells, dribbling or droop in face, epilepsy, sleeping difficulties, hearing problem, feeling easily ‘overloaded’).
§The SOC2010 and NS-SEC Occupation coding tool21 was used.
TIA, transient ischaemic attack.