Hospitals admitting at least 100 patients with stroke a year should have a stroke unit: a case study from Australia.

Background: Establishing a stroke unit (SU) in every hospital may be infeasible because of limited resources. In Australia, it is recommended that hospitals that admit ≥100 strokes per year should have a SU. We aimed to describe differences in processes of care and outcomes among hospitals with and without SUs admitting at least 100 patients/year.

Do cognitive, language, or physical impairments affect participation in a trial of self-management programs for stroke?

Background: Research studies may have limited generalizability when survivors of stroke with physical, language, or cognitive impairments are excluded.

Aims: To assess whether presence of cognitive, language, or global impairments affects participation in self-management programs.

Methods: Stroke survivors were recruited in South Australia from seven hospitals or via advertisements into a randomized controlled trial (1:1:1 ratio) of a Stroke Self-Management Program, the Stanford chronic condition self-management program, or standard care.

AVERT2 (a very early rehabilitation trial, a very effective reproductive trigger): retrospective observational analysis of the number of babies born to trial staff.

Objective: To report the number of participants needed to recruit per baby born to trial staff during AVERT, a large international trial on acute stroke, and to describe trial management consequences.

Design: Retrospective observational analysis.

Setting: 56 acute stroke hospitals in eight countries.

Understanding long-term unmet needs in Australian survivors of stroke.

Background: Limited data exist on the long-term needs of community-dwelling stroke survivors. We aimed to describe factors associated with the extent to which needs were met in Australian survivors of stroke.

Method: Multifaceted strategies were used to obtain a national sample.

Thrombolysis ImPlementation in Stroke (TIPS): evaluating the effectiveness of a strategy to increase the adoption of best evidence practice--protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial in acute stroke care.

Background: Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability internationally. One of the three effective interventions in the acute phase of stroke care is thrombolytic therapy with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), if given within 4.5 hours of onset to appropriate cases of ischaemic stroke.

Australian public's awareness of stroke warning signs improves after national multimedia campaigns.

Background And Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the reach and impact of the National Stroke Foundation (NSF) multimedia stroke warning sign campaigns across Australia.

Methods: A total of 12 439 surveys were performed across 6 states during 6 years on random state-weighted samples of Australians≥40 years old.

Results: Awareness of stroke advertising increased 31% to 50% between 2004 and 2010 (P<0.

The Know Your Numbers (KYN) program 2008 to 2010: impact on knowledge and health promotion behavior among participants.

Background: Since 2007, the National Stroke Foundation in Australia has undertaken a community-based 'Know Your Numbers' program on blood pressure and other stroke risk factors.

Aims: The aims of this study are to assess, in a sample of registrants participating in a three-month follow-up survey, retention of knowledge of risk factors and health conditions associated with hypertension, and whether those who were advised to see their doctor sought treatment or performed other health promotion actions.

Methods: Various organizations (mainly pharmacies) were recruited to offer a 'free' standardized blood pressure check and educational resources for one-week/year between 2008 and 2010.

Comparison of stroke warning sign campaigns in Australia, England, and Canada.

Background: Public awareness of the signs of stroke is essential to ensure that those affected by stroke arrive at the hospital in time for lifesaving therapies. It is unclear how well stroke awareness campaigns improve awareness of stroke signs and whether people translate this into action.

Methods: We evaluated stroke awareness campaigns conducted in England, Australia, and Canada using pre- and post-campaign surveys.

No evidence for an epidemic of stroke with the ageing of the population.

Background/aim: The ageing population in Australia may contribute to an epidemic of stroke in coming years. We aimed to assess whether deaths and hospitalisations from stroke in Australia are increasing.

Methods: Nationwide age- and sex-specific hospitalisation episode data from 1996 to 1997 were used to predict future hospitalisations from stroke.

Very early poststroke aphasia therapy: a pilot randomized controlled efficacy trial.

Background And Purpose: Early stroke rehabilitation has shown benefits over spontaneous recovery. Insufficient evidence exists to determine the benefits of early aphasia intervention. We hypothesized that daily aphasia therapy would show better communication outcomes than usual care (UC) in early poststroke recovery.

A phase II multicentered, single-blind, randomized, controlled trial of the stroke self-management program.

Background And Purpose: The benefits of chronic disease self-management programs for stroke survivors are uncertain because individuals with severe impairments have been excluded from previous research. We undertook a phase II randomized controlled trial to determine whether a self-management program designed for survivors (SSMP; 8 weeks) was safe and feasible compared to standard care (control) or a generic self-management program (generic; 6 weeks).

Methods: Stroke survivors were recruited from 7 South Australian hospitals via a letter or indirectly (eg, newspapers).

Setting stroke research priorities: The consumer perspective.

Objectives: To test a method of engaging consumers in research priority-setting using a quantitative approach and to determine consumer views on stroke research priorities for clinical practice recommendations with lower levels of evidence (Level III and Level IV) and expert consensus opinion as published in the Australian stroke clinical practice guidelines.

Design: Survey

Setting: Urban community

Subjects: Eighteen stroke survivors (n = 12) and carers (n = 6) who were members of the "Working Aged Group - Stroke" (WAGS) consumer support group.

Main Outcome Measures: Phase I: Participants were asked whether recommendations were "worth" researching ("yes" or "no"); and, if researched, what potential impact they likely would have on patient outcomes.

Improving access to evidence-based acute stroke services: development and evaluation of a health systems model to address equity of access issues.

Level 1 evidence for management of patients with stroke in a dedicated Stroke Care Unit (SCU) demonstrates improved outcomes by about 20%. It has been estimated that 21% of Australian hospitals provide an SCU and that these SCUs are mainly located in either metropolitan sites and/or in hospitals with more than 300 beds. To address equity issues related to access to SCUs, the National Stroke Foundation and the Australian Government undertook the National Stroke Units Program.