Community reintegration of stroke survivors: the effect of a community navigation intervention.

Aim: The overall aim of the proposed study is to examine a newly implemented navigation intervention intended to support stroke survivors' community integration during the first year following hospital discharge in four regions of Ontario, Canada.

Background: Stroke is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Stroke survivors living in the community require regular, ongoing follow-up to assess recovery, prevent deterioration and maximize health outcomes. Internationally published evidence, often conducted in large urban centres, suggests that community reintegration services are an important component of the continuum of care for stroke survivors. This evidence, however, often does not address the particular challenges inherent in smaller urban and rural contexts.

Design: The design of this 2-year mixed-method study will use cohort and focused ethnography.

Methods: The three stages of this study include: (1) collection of quantitative data to profile the health status, support and extent of community reintegration of stroke survivors; (2) collection of qualitative data from stroke survivors and their care partners about community reintegration and navigation; and following triangulation of findings (3) knowledge translation activities. This study was ethically approved by the academic Research Ethics Board and clinical Research Ethics Board (Sudbury, Ontario) and funded by the Ontario Stroke Network (Canada).

Discussion: Results will describe experiences and outcomes of a community navigation intervention. Engagement of multiple stakeholders has the potential to develop a shared understanding of community reintegration and generate evidence informed recommendations for service enhancement at critical points in stroke recovery to support survivor and community well-being.