Exploring sensory changes and social withdrawal among stroke survivors: a qualitative study

Sensory changes are common among stroke survivors, significantly impacting their ability to engage in meaningful activities of daily living and participation in social interactions. However, these sensory changes often go unrecognized in clinical settings often resulting into inadequate rehabilitation and reduced quality of life. This study aimed to examine how these sensory changes affect activity participation among stroke survivors.

This qualitative study had a total of 35 participants. These included 20 stroke survivors (12 males and 8 females) and 15 stakeholders (8 females and 7 males) consisting of 8 occupational therapists,4 physical therapists and 3 caregivers, with at least 2 or more years of professional experience. These were recruited through purposive sampling of regional stroke support groups, stroke outpatient clinics, and online rehabilitation forums in swat district, Pakistan. Data was collected through focus group discussions held via Zoom between January and March 2024 in order to investigate the lived experiences and perspectives on post-stroke sensory changes. Resulting data was thematically analyzed.

The main themes identified by all participants (stroke survivors and stake holders) were; (1) sensory changes frequently go unnoticed during clinical assessments, (2) Sensory changes significantly disrupt routine engagement and active participation in activities of daily living, (3) sensory changes lead to social withdrawal and isolation, and (4) limited resources and the absence of standardized sensory assessment tools hinder effective management of these sensory changes.

The results highlight an urgent need to incorporate targeted sensory assessments and interventions into stroke rehabilitation programs. Future research should focus on creating standardized sensory changes assessment tools to assist in their mitigation.