Table 1:
Profile of participants in the qualitative study at recruitment
| Patient characteristics | No. of participants* n = 34 |
|---|---|
| Mean age, yr (range) | 75 (20–98) |
| Sex, female | 20 |
| Stroke in dominant hemisphere | 20 |
| First stroke | 29 |
| Recurrent stroke | 5 |
| Modified Rankin score (0–6)27† | score 5: 22; score 4: 12 |
| Tube fed (nasogastric or gastrostomy) | 18 |
| Has Do Not Attempt Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation Order | 14 |
| Has incapacity certificate | 19 |
| Substantial speech loss (aphasia) | 24 |
| Permanent indwelling urinary catheter (urinary incontinence) | 20 |
| Has informal caregiver at home | 18 |
| Residential area | urban: 25; rural: 4; semi-urban:5 |
| Has hypertension | 18 |
| Has major comorbidities, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, renal failure, dementia | 15 patients: no comorbidities; 12: 1; 5: 3; 1: 3 |
| Median number of medicines prescribed at the time of recruitment | 5 (range 0–9) |
*
Except where indicated otherwise.
†
Modified Rankin scores: 4 = moderately severe disability; unable to walk without assistance and unable to attend to own bodily needs without assistance; 5 = severe disability; bedridden, incontinent and requiring constant nursing care and attention.