Utilization of social media communities for caregiver information support in stroke recovery: An analysis of content and interactions

Healthcare professionals' perceptions on providing support to informal carers within stroke care

BACKGROUND

The sudden nature of stroke onset does not provide carers with sufficient time to prepare for the demands associated with caring. Healthcare professionals can have a vital role in providing carers with support and training, which may reduce carer stress and strain, and allow for better health and rehabilitation outcomes for the stroke survivor. The experiences of healthcare professionals on supporting carers in stroke care, however, remain unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To understand the experiences and perceptions of healthcare professionals working in stroke care on implementing resources and support to informal stroke carers.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 healthcare professionals (5 occupational therapists, 5 physiotherapists, 1 psychologist) with at least 12 months' experience in working with stroke survivors. Interviews ranged from 25-70 minutes in duration, and were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Three overarching categories that were explored were: (1) Experiences of working in stroke care and supporting carers; (2) Recommendations for a program designed for carers; and (3) Future priorities in stroke care. Participants discussed a variety of strategies they utilised to support carers including collaborating with other healthcare professionals and utilising skills and experience. Healthcare professionals highlighted the need for additional resources that are designed specifically for carers and explored key topics including carer stress and fatigue, support services, stroke education, and how to look after oneself. Participants identified priorities for stroke care including additional professional training and resource availability.

CONCLUSION

This study provided a unique insight from the perspectives of healthcare professionals on supporting carers. Participants identified the need for additional training and resources to equip healthcare professionals to better support carers. Future programs designed for carers should be informed by the needs and experiences of both informal carers and healthcare professionals.

Experiences of Alzheimer's disease and related dementia family caregivers on Reddit communities: A topic modeling and sentiment analysis

Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) are a spectrum of disorders characterized by cognitive decline, which pose significant challenges for both affected individuals and their caregivers. Previous literature has focused on patient family surveys which do not always capture the breadth of authentic experiences of the caregiver. Online social media platforms provide a space for individuals to share their experiences and obtain advice toward caring for those with ADRD. This study leverages Reddit, a platform frequented by caregivers seeking advice for caring for a family member with advice for ADRD. To identify the topics of discussion or advice that most caregivers seek and sought after, we employed structured topic modeling techniques such as BERTopic to analyze the content of these posts and use an intertopic distance map to discern the variation in themes across different Reddit categories. In addition, we analyze the sentiment of the Reddit postings using Valence Aware Dictionary and Sentiment Reasoner to deduce the degree of negative, positive, and neutral sentiment of the discussion posts. Our findings reveal that the topics that caregivers most frequently discuss and seek advice for were related to caregiver stories, community support, and concerns ADRD. Specifically, we aimed to reproduce an organic Reddit search of caregiving of abuse on family member, financial struggles, symptoms of hallucinations, and repetition in ADRD family members. These results underscore the importance of online communities for gaining a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted experiences and challenges faced by ADRD caregivers.

YouTube as a possible learning platform for patients and their family caregivers for gastrostomy tube feeding: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Many patients and family caregivers have informational needs, especially regarding gastrostomy care and home gastrostomy tube feeding. YouTube is a potential accessible option for educational resources concerning these topics.

METHODS

This study aimed to explore the educational quality and content of informational YouTube videos. We used "gastrostomy," "G-tube," "enteral feeding," and "enteral nutrition," as search keywords on YouTube on October 3, 2021. A total of 229 videos were evaluated using the global quality scale (GQS) and modified DISCERN scoring system. Variables extracted from the videos included general features, video parameters, and content themes.

RESULTS

The GQS and modified DISCERN scores were 3.31 ± 0.90 and 2.63 ± 1.23, respectively. There were educational quality and differences among videos uploaded by various agencies. Frequent video content themes included "cleaning and dressing a gastrostomy tube," "bolus method," and "replacing a balloon-type of gastrostomy tube."

CONCLUSION

Results showed that YouTube can be a supplemental educational resource for people requiring gastrostomy care and for their caregivers. However, given the open-access nature of YouTube, healthcare professionals' guidance is needed for video selection. Healthcare professionals should know and use specific, reliable resources to effectively guide and educate patients with gastrostomy and their caregivers, enhancing their self-management skills and knowledge.

The impact of caregiving on the roles and valued activities of stroke carers: A systematic review of qualitative studies

OBJECTIVE

To understand the experiences of informal carers and the impact of role and activity changes on their health and wellbeing.

METHODS

A systematic search of CINHAL, MEDLINE, Embase, APA PsycInfo, and Web of Science was conducted. Studies were eligible if they included informal stroke carers (≥18 years), used a qualitative methodology, explored the roles and valued activities of stroke carers, and were published in English. The 10-item Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist for qualitative studies was used to assess methodological quality. The results of the included studies were thematically synthesised.

RESULTS

A total of 36 qualitative studies were included and four overarching themes were identified: (1) Life adjustment; (2) Changing role and identity; (3) Changing activities: From meaningful to purposeful; and (4) Understanding and supporting carers.

CONCLUSION

The sudden nature of stroke requires major readjustment in the carers life that has implications on their relationships, roles, and activities, subsequently impacting on their health and wellbeing. Health professionals and researchers should collaborate with stroke carers to identify their valued activities and implement realistic strategies to maintain these activities. Future interventions designed for carers should implement education about the importance of participating in valued activities and strategies to maintain these activities.

Understanding social media: how its popularity could be used to advance medical education in stroke care?

The wide availability of social media (SM) has revolutionized human interactions and education in different settings (e.g., household, workplace, academic, hospitals). Nearly 60% of the global population spend a daily average of over 6 h of screen time. By facilitating audio, video, and interactive material, SM has reshaped users' perceptions, choices, and communication. The science behind SM can be explained by the activation of the brain reward pathways which explains the success of SM platforms lead by user-generated content (i.e., TikTok). Our understanding of SM user's interests, mode of access, time spent with screens, and internet are critical to advance medical education by applying new learning technologies to advance medical education and stroke care. For example, the top 20 most visited websites and the most searched hashtags on TikTok in 2022 did not include any health-related topics, reflecting a challenging competition for attention of different segments of the population. We must overcome current gaps in medical education such as increased curricular activities, increasingly demanding tasks, differences in personal preferences between residents and faculty members, etc. New strategies using more engaging learning technologies and SM platforms (e.g., stroke simulations, interactive diagnostic and therapeutic decisions, tracking user's attention to assess knowledge transfer) are needed. This would allow a more effective delivery of educational content by stimulating the curiosity and participation of students, patients, and physicians offering more rewarding experiences across the continuum of stroke care.

Use of Social Media in Stroke: A Systematic Review

Background

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability globally. Over the last decade, digital health and related technology has emerged as a useful adjunct in the management of persons with stroke, particularly with the development of a large number of mobile phone applications dedicated to various aspects of stroke. However, whether social media can provide similar key support in stroke is an intriguing question. In this systematic review, we aimed to the scope and limits of social media platforms in care and research pertinent to persons with stroke.

Methods

PubMed database was searched using Medical Subject Headings terms and exploded keywords. The search retrieved 556 abstracts, which were screened by two reviewers. Of these, 14 studies met the review inclusion criteria. Given the small number of studies and heterogeneity of outcomes, quantitative analysis was not possible. The review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022324384).

Results

The social media platforms employed by the included studies comprised YouTube (n = 5), Twitter (n = 5), Facebook (n = 2), both Twitter and Facebook (n = 1), and WhatsApp (n = 1). Four assessed quality and accuracy of videos on YouTube available for stoke patients and caregivers. Three used social media to research link between role of gender and stroke descriptors on social media platforms, and one studied Twitter-derived racial/ethnic perceptual construction on the occurrence of cardiovascular disease. Three studies described use of social media by stroke survivors, in post-stroke care and engagement. 11 studies were assessed to be of "fair" quality and three were assessed to be of "poor" quality.

Conclusions

Limited preliminary data of low quality indicates that social media is used by persons with stroke and their caregivers, and may be harnessed as a tool of education and research. Future studies must address the current lack of high-quality evidence for the use of social media in stroke care.

Information, involvement, self-care and support-The needs of caregivers of people with stroke: A grounded theory approach

BACKGROUND

Globally, stroke is a leading cause of death and disability, with most care undertaken by caregivers who are generally family and friends without prior experience of care. The lack of experience or unpreparedness results in feelings of uncertainty, burnout, anxiety, burden, etc. Hence, it is necessary to identify the needs of caregivers to better support them in their caregiving journey and improve the quality of care delivered.

METHODS

The study employed a grounded theory methodology that utilizes information gathered from literature reviews and social media to represent the needs and create a storyline visually. The storyline is further refined and evaluated using an online survey of 72 participants recruited through online stroke caregiving communities.

RESULTS

The study identified four core categories of needs: (i) Information: sufficient information delivered in layman's terms based on the individual situation of the caregiver and survivor through oral and hands-on demonstrations, (ii) Involvement: inclusion in the decision-making processes at different stages of recovery through face-to-face communication at the hospital, (iii) Self-care: ability to engage in work and leisure activities, (iv) Support: receive support in the form of resources, services and finances from different other stakeholders.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a need to create a caregiver-centered approach in stroke recovery to ensure limited obstruction to care and reduced uncertainty in stroke recovery. Moreover, through the inclusion of caregivers in stroke recovery, it may be possible to reduce the burden of care to the caregiver and ensure the satisfaction of the healthcare system throughout stroke recovery.