Executive Function and Daily Living Skills in Young Women with Stroke

Research Objectives: To examine cognitive challenges in young women post-stroke, using a standardized survey.

Design: Survey

Setting: General community / Virtual setting

Participants: Eight women aged 21-54 years old who had experienced a stroke. Population-based snowball sampling was used.

Interventions: Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures: Daily Living Questionnaire

Results: Results suggested that the cognitive skills most affected in this sample of young women post stroke are executive functions and executive function monitoring. Furthermore, the most frequently challenging tasks chosen from 52 daily activities included expressing thoughts and screening out background noises. Strong positive correlations were noted between three groups of variables: (a) between challenges in participants’ need and participants’ want to complete tasks in daily life, (b) between changes in participants’ responsibilities within their households and within their community/work, and (c) between changes in participants’ responsibilities within their households and general life changes since stroke.

Conclusions: This preliminary study brings to light the need to address cognitive challenges, especially executive function, in young women post stroke. This preliminary study builds the case for larger studies of a simliar nature with more participants. It highlights a potential emerging area of occupational therapy practice that could become integral in traditional rehabilitation settings.

Author(s) Disclosures: Michelle Scheffler--none
Asha Vas--none