Person-centred care in individuals with stroke: a qualitative study using in-depth interviews

BACKGROUND: Person-centred care (PCC) has considerable effects on the clinical practice of health professionals. The purpose of this study was to describe the perspectives and perceived barriers and enablers of individuals with stroke regarding the PCC model in stroke rehabilitation. METHODS: A qualitative exploratory study was conducted based on an interpretive framework. Participants were recruited using non-probabilistic purposeful sampling and a snowball-technique strategy. The inclusion criteria consisted of: (a) individuals > 18 years, (b) diagnosed with moderate or severe stroke according to the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and (c) in the post-acute or chronic stage of the disease. In total, 31 individuals with stroke were included. In-depth interviews and researchers’ field notes were used to collect the data. A thematic analysis was performed. Also, credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability techniques were followed to establish trustworthiness of the data. RESULTS: Thirty-one individuals with stroke (11 women) were included. Three main themes were identified: (a) The person behind the “patient” label, recognizing the person beyond their illness and valuing their identity and individual characteristics, (b) The person at the centre of care, considering themselves as an active agent in their own care and respecting their preferences and expectations for their care process and (c) Training for PCC, providing health professionals with tools to achieve professional skills for the implementation and development of the PCC model. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: KEY MESSAGES: The individuals’ perspective regarding person-centred care (PCC) has considerable effects on the clinical practice of health professionals. Individuals with stroke describe how there is a person behind the "patient" label, with identity, needs and desire to participate in decision making. Training in the PCC model helps healthcare professionals identify the needs of individuals with stroke during rehabilitation.