This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Barer, D. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Barer, D. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Stroke in Nottingham: provision of nursing care and possible implications for the future

Department of Health Care of the Elderly, University Hospital, Nottingham

Although the care of stroke patients accounts for a considerable proportion of Health Service resources, there have been few attempts to measure this burden directly. A survey was therefore performed in Nottingham (approximate population 700 000) during a two-week period to find out the total number and dependency levels of stroke patients receiving professional nursing care, whether in hospital, nursing homes or at home from the Community Nursing Service. Altogether 822 patients were surveyed, of whom 232 were in hospital (46 in general medical, 171 in geriatric wards and 15 on the stroke unit), 221 were in nursing homes and 369 at home with district nurse support. Of this total, 61 % were aged over 75 and 18% over 85; nearly half of the latter group being in nursing homes. Overall levels of dependency were greatest in nursing homes and the prevalence of severe disability was highest amongst the oldest patients. Two-thirds of all patients had had their strokes over six months before and 39% over two years before and 31 % had suffered more than one stroke. Thus, the main demand for nursing services is amongst the old and those with longstanding stroke disease. The rapid increase in the number of old people and changes in medical practice which reduce fatality in the early stages of stroke are both likely to increase the numbers of disabled elderly stroke survivors, and a large proportion of these may be cared for in private nursing homes. Simple cross-sectional studies of this kind should be repeated every few years so that these trends can be accurately plotted.

Clinical Rehabilitation, Vol. 5, No. 2, 103-110 (1991)
DOI: 10.1177/026921559100500203


CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Adams, R. Pickering, A. Ashburn, and N. Lincoln The scalability of the Rivermead Motor Assessment in nonacute stroke patients Clinical Rehabilitation, February 1, 1997; 11(1): 52 - 59. [Abstract] [PDF]