Knowledge about Disease and Health Behaviours in Elderly Stroke Survivors as a Context of Occupational Therapy Implementations

Abstract Knowledge the risk factors and symptoms of strokes is important in the context of a quick response to first signals and secondary prevention, and health education is one of the tasks of the neurological occupational therapist. To carry out this task, the therapist needs information about patients’ health behaviours and knowledge about the disease. This study aimed to determine: 1. elderly patients’ knowledge about strokes and the channels of knowledge transmission; 2. differences between their pre- and post-stroke health behaviours; 3. differences in knowledge and health behaviours depending on the respondent’s gender, age and education. The study involved 34 patients of a neurological rehabilitation centre, aged 60–85, with a stroke diagnosis within the last six months. The data were collected during a face-to-face questionnaire interview constructed for the purpose of the study. Preventive campaigns reach risk groups to a limited extent and the level of respondents’ knowledge about stroke symptoms and risk factors was considered unsatisfactory. According to the respondents, the most effective channel of communication is television, and the most reliable sources of knowledge are doctors and other healthcare workers. Relationships were found between knowledge about strokes and age, gender, education and health behaviours before the stroke. It is necessary to educate patients about the symptoms and risk factors of strokes. Communication channels should be better profiled in terms of the capabilities of people at risk of stroke. For planned health behaviour change to be effective, patients need education, advice and support from an occupational therapist and other health professionals.