Experiences of ABI patients and family carers of rehabilitation
Research type
Research Study
Full title
What are the experiences of patients with mild Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) and their family caregivers of rehabilitation following hospital discharge?
IRAS ID
237753
Contact name
Alex Balani
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Edge Hill University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 4 months, 30 days
Research summary
An Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is damage to the brain caused by either an illness, for example a stroke, or by trauma to the head, which results in temporary or permanent changes to patients’ daily activities, physical and mental skills, thinking, memory, emotion and behaviour.
While severe brain injury can lead to a lengthy hospital stay followed by long-term hospital-based and community-based rehabilitation regime, patients with mild brain injuries are often quickly discharged home as their symptoms are deemed not severe enough to need this lengthy period of rehabilitation.
People with mild ABI are offered self-managed therapy aimed at improving thinking skills and memory, or advised to use strategies such as checklists, and often rely on help from a family carer to complete these therapy/strategies.
There is currently little research into the experience of these patients, or their family carers, of this self-managed rehabilitation. In addition, there is no data about which exercises/ strategies are most helpful or whether patients use them regularly.
This purpose of the study is to examine experiences of patients with mild ABI and their family carers of self-managed rehabilitation plans, the effect of these plans on their progress, and the impact of the symptoms of ABI on daily life.
People with mild ABI and their family carer will be invited to take part in the study while they are in hospital, and if they agree, 4-6 weeks after discharge the patient will carry out a short test of thinking skills and both patients and their family carers will be interviewed about their experiences of living with an ABI. Before the interview the carer will also complete a short assessment of their experience of caring and any unmet needs they may have.
REC name
HSC REC B
REC reference
18/NI/0051
Date of REC Opinion
27 Feb 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion