Barriers and facilitators associated with return to work after stroke: a qualitative meta-synthesis

AbstractPurpose: To enhance the employment outcomes of individuals who experience a stroke, it is essential to understand the factors that determine successful return to work. The aim of this systematic review was to examine barriers to and facilitators of return to work after stroke from the perspective of people with stroke through the process of a qualitative meta-synthesis.Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted. Studies that employed qualitative methods to explore the experiences of individuals with stroke around return to work after stroke were included. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed by two independent reviewers. Overarching themes, concepts and interpretations were extracted from each individual study, compared and meta-synthesized.Results: Fifteen studies were included and the overall methodological quality of the studies was good. Four broad themes emerged as factors associated with return to work after stroke. These included (i) the nature of the effects of...