A Preliminary Qualitative Analysis of the Impact of Hope on Stroke Recovery in Women

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the perceived influence of hope on stroke recovery in women who were at least 6 months post stroke. METHOD: Ten women were recruited from a midsize community in southwestern Ontario, Canada. The main research question was to determine what factors influence hope in the later stages of recovery. RESULTS: These women described hope as an integral factor in fostering optimal recovery beyond 1 year post stroke. Specifically, 3 interconnected factors (ie, external, internal, and personal) worked in conjunction to foster hope in these women post stroke. CONCLUSION: Understanding the influence of hope in long-term recovery is important for health care practitioners and support systems to foster maximal recovery in survivors of stroke.