Re-Imagining Stroke Support Groups: Patient and Clinician Perspectives of the Telehealth Modality

Research Objectives: 1. To assess patient and clinician perceptions of whether virtual stroke support groups are as effective as in-person stroke support groups.
2. To explore the current advantages and opportunities in virtual stroke support groups conducted via telepractice.

Design: This research is an exploratory, cross-sectional study using a mixed methods approach to evaluate patients’ perceptions of telehealth use in stroke support groups.

Setting: Virtual study affiliated with the MGH Institute of Health Professions.

Participants: The study was reviewed and approved by the Mass General Brigham IRB (study #2022P001878). A survey was distributed through e-mail, social media, and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Special Interest Groups (SIGs) to patients using REDCap.

Interventions: Respondents completed an eligibility screening based on information about participating in or facilitating virtual stroke support groups. Once deemed eligible, respondents were sent to either the clinician or patient surveys.

Main Outcome Measures: Through the lens of the Theoretical Domains Framework (Atkins et al., 2017) and the Technology Acceptance Model (Davis, 1989), participants completed a survey created from the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (Parmanto et al., 2016) and the Stroke Aphasia Quality of Life (SAQOL-39, Hilari et al., 2003).

Results: Preliminary analysis yielded descriptive findings of support and preference for the virtual modality in stroke support groups across patients and clinicians.

Emerging clinician survey themes include:
-Ease of technology use in virtual stroke support groups.
-Confidence in the high quality of virtual services delivered.
-Improved access to services provided.

Emerging clinician themes include:
-Telepractice may be inappropriate for patients with severe impairments.
-Missing in-person connection.

Conclusions: Preliminary findings indicate patient and clinician satisfaction with telepractice use in stroke support groups. As the qualitative data collection is finalized (June 2023), it will be analyzed for emerging themes.

Author(s) Disclosures: Non-financial disclosures:

-I am a doctoral student in speech pathology at the MGH Institute of Health Professions.
-I am a per diem speech and language pathologist at the Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital.

Financial disclosures: None