Stroke Unit effect on Physical Activity
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Stroke Unit effect on the Physical Activity Levels of patients on a non-hyperacute stroke ward (SUPAL)
IRAS ID
294935
Contact name
Ruth Da Silva
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN13447832
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 31 days
Research summary
The most common cause of disability from stroke is motor impairment effecting around 80% of stroke survivors with up to 74% needing long-term support with basic daily activities. Patients spend more than 78% of their inpatient stay alone, inactive and sedentary. An increase in physical activity and provision of self-directed therapy programmes are recommended to improve recovery.
Enriched environments are designed to allow patients to move around freely around a ward to access activities. They have been shown to increase physical activity and reduce the amount of time patients spend alone. Enriched environments also have the potential to support self-directed therapy practice.
A recent opportunity arose to design a new purpose-built stroke unit in Gateshead which will incorporate aspects of an enriched environment. Patients who are able and well enough, will be encouraged to spend the majority of their waking hours in a communal ‘social’ area and therapy garden. This will provide enhanced opportunities for mobility practice and semi-supervised therapy practice. It is anticipated that this will start to facilitate changes in the ward routines that more closely mirror routines at home. For example, patients getting up and dressed for breakfast at a table rather than having breakfast in bed.
This is a single site observational study to measure the impact of the new environment on patient activity. Consenting stroke patients admitted to the inpatient stroke service at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead will be eligible. Patients will complete baseline assessments and asked to wear an accelerometer to measure their physical activity levels for 3-7 days. Comparisons of daily activity levels will be made between patients treated on the old stroke ward and those on the new stroke unit. Further between group comparisons of functional independence and stroke impact will be made at discharge and 6 weeks post consent.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 3
REC reference
21/WS/0030
Date of REC Opinion
10 Mar 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion