Abstract WMP16: Understanding The Experience Of Fatigue Poststroke: Preliminary Results From A Mixed-methods Longitudinal Study

Introduction: The first 6 months poststroke is an important period for stroke survivors to regain physical function but fatigue may affect recovery. The challenges faced regarding fatigue level and physical function in the first 6 months poststroke remains unknown. Stroke survivors have reported that carepartners play an important role in their recovery but the specific support by carepartners is not well-addressed in the literature. Methods: Our ongoing longitudinal cohort study uses concurrent mixed-methods to determine the interrelationship between how stroke survivors adapt to and experience changes in fatigue and recovery of physical function during the index hospitalization, 1, 3, and 6 months poststroke. Thirty stroke survivors with first-ever ischemic stroke and 10 of their carepartners will be enrolled. In the quantitative arm of the study, 30 stroke survivors are asked about fatigue levels (Fatigue Severity Scale [FSS]) and physical function (Stroke Impact Scale-16 [SIS-16]) at 4 time points. The qualitative arm explores stroke survivors’ (n=10 of 30) and carepartners’ perspectives about adaptation to poststroke fatigue at the same time points. Matrices are being used to depict longitudinal adaptation (i.e., how stroke survivors’ adaptive strategies vary across the fatigue levels and physical function during the index hospitalization, 1, 3, and 6 months poststroke). We anticipate completing enrollment by October 2022. Results: To date, 17 stroke survivors (mean age 63±15.5 years; 47.1% female; 29.4% Black with a mean NIHSS score of 4.9±4.1) and 7 carepartners have been enrolled. The mean FSS score at baseline (before the index stroke; n= 17) is 36.3±14.1 and 35.0±14.1 (n=11) at 1-month poststroke. The mean SIS-16 score at baseline (n= 17) is 70.6±9.7 and 55.9±20.2 (n=11) at 1-month poststroke. Conclusions: To date, we have enrolled a racially, ethnically, and gender diverse sample of stroke survivors who reported mild-moderate fatigue which persisted beyond hospital discharge at 1 month. While functional status improved at 1 month for stroke survivors, it has not returned to their baseline. Our findings will increase knowledge about longitudinal changes in early fatigue and physical-function recovery among stroke survivors.