Purpose

The aim of the study was to explore the barriers to reintegration experienced by stroke patients post discharge from a rehabilitation center in Malawi.

Relevance

Identifying barriers to reintegration can inform the development of appropriate rehabilitation interventions for stroke patients in African Countries

Participants/Subjects

Eight participants were purposively selected to participate in the study.

Methods

A qualitative study using in-depth interviews was employed. An interview guide was used during the in-depth interviews and ethical clearance was obtained from the senate ethics committee of the University of the Western Cape and the necessary permission was obtained from authorities in Malawi.

Analysis

Qualitative content analysis was used to identify emerging themes

Results

The findings of this study highlighted that impairments such as depression, anxiety and physical weakness were barriers to reintegration at the individual level, while attitudes of others, poor terrain, long distances to places of interest, and inaccessible structures were barriers experienced on the environmental level.

Conclusions

Barriers to reintegration include factors relating to the impairments as experienced by the individuals post stroke as well as factors in the environment with in which the individual engaged.

Implications

Factors at the level of the individual and the environment should be considered when facilitating reintegration of stroke patients into the community.

Keywords

Stroke, barriers to reintegration,community

Funding Source Acknowledgement