Moderated Poster Australian and New Zealand Stroke Organisation Conference 2025

Prevalence of unmet needs of stroke survivors in the community and associated factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis (123188)

Kennice Tan 1 , Tharshanah Thayabaranathan 1 , Tara Purvis 1 , Yiran Wang 2 , Monique F Kilkenny 1 3 , Mark R Nelson 4 , Dominique A Cadilhac 1 3 , Lauren M Sanders 5 6 , Sarah J Wallace 7 8 , Rosanne Freak-Poli 1 , Jan Cameron 1 , Jared Slater 9 , Clive Kempson 10 , Muideen T Olaiya 1
  1. Stroke and Ageing Research, Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
  2. Department of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
  3. Stroke Theme, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
  4. Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
  5. St. Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  6. Department of Medicine, Melbourne Medical School, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  7. Queensland Aphasia Research Centre, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia
  8. Surgical Treatment and Rehabilitation Service (STARS) Education and Research Alliance, The University of Queensland and Metro North Health, Herston, Queensland, Australia
  9. Gippsland Primary Health Network, Traralgon, Victoria, Australia
  10. Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University, Frankston, Victoria, Australia

Background and Aims: Data on commonly reported unmet needs post-stroke are crucial to inform interventions and care provision. We aimed to synthesise contemporary data on the prevalence of unmet needs post-stroke, and associated factors, among survivors in the community.

Methods: We searched Medline, EMBASE, and CINAHL for articles with prevalence estimates on unmet needs post-stroke. We included only articles including data from 2013 onwards from survivors living in the community or support persons. Random effects model was used to meta-analyse prevalence, and associated factors were summarised.

Results: Of 1,073 articles screened, 13 were eligible for inclusion (n=5,754 participants), including 8/13 with data on associated factors, and one from a low-to-middle-income country. All studies were of satisfactory quality (adapted Joanna Briggs Institute score ≥3/5). Overall, 59 unique unmet needs were identified across six domains: body function (n=13), cognition/mental health (n=7), social/community integration (n=6), activity/participation (n=13), service/information (n=8), recovery (n=12). The pooled prevalence of reporting ≥1 unmet need was 65%. Unmet needs with the greatest pooled prevalence estimates were education/information on stroke (72%), diet (61%), fatigue (49%), concentration (46%), adaptation and aids outside (41%), and falls (40%). Thirty-three associated factors were identified, relating to social determinants of health (most commonly age, sex), stroke type/severity, post-stroke care (most commonly length of hospital stay, post-stroke services), multimorbidity, and health and well-being.

Conclusions: We provide contemporary data on unmet needs post-stroke. While some factors were consistently associated with unmet needs across studies, associations for several other factors were inconclusive, highlighting the need for further investigation.