Effects of a web-based stroke education program on recurrence prevention behaviors among stroke patients: a pilot study

Health Educ Res. 2013 Jun;28(3):488-501. doi: 10.1093/her/cyt044. Epub 2013 Mar 19.

Abstract

The effectiveness of methods to prevent stroke recurrence and of education focusing on learners' needs has not been fully explored. The aims of this study were to assess the effects of such interventions among stroke patients and their primary caregivers and to evaluate the feasibility of a web-based stroke education program. The participants were 36 patients with a clinical diagnosis of ischemic stroke within 12 months post-stroke and their primary caregivers. The participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental or a control group. The primary measures included blood chemistry, self-reported health behaviors, sense of control, and health motivation for stroke patients, and caregiver mastery for caregivers. To test the feasibility of the intervention program, the rates of participation and occurrence of technical problems were calculated. The experimental group tended to improve significantly more than the control group in terms of exercise, diet, sense of control and health motivation for the stroke patients and in terms of caregiver mastery for the primary caregivers. The rate of participation in the web-based program was 63.1%. This program, which focuses on recurrence prevention in stroke patients and caregivers, has the potential to improve health behaviors for stroke patients.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Caregivers / education
  • Caregivers / psychology
  • Computer-Assisted Instruction* / methods
  • Health Behavior
  • Humans
  • Patient Education as Topic / methods*
  • Pilot Projects
  • Secondary Prevention
  • Stroke / prevention & control*
  • Stroke / psychology