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Purpose: To describe which needs and difficulties are experienced by stroke patients and caregivers regarding their return to work and to synthesise the lived experiences of stroke patients and caregivers. Materials and methods: A systematic review and metasynthesis was conducted on PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Sciences and PsycInfo, in according to the Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the Synthesis of Qualitative Research. Studies eligible for the review had to fulfil the following inclusion criteria: qualitative studies, stroke patients and their caregivers in a working age (approximately from 18 to 65 years old), discharged from the hospital. Results: Thirty-eight studies involving stroke patients and caregivers were included in this review. For the stroke patients' group, three main themes were identified: (a) Towards the future; (b) Professional support in return to work; and (c) return to work and employment perspective, while for caregivers two main themes were: (a) daily life challenges and role overload; and (b) employment challenges. Conclusions: Integrating public employment, social and health services, support for job placement, return to work, and social participation of stroke patients should be more supported in individual rehabilitation programs to help stroke survivors and caregivers in their return-to-work process. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: A program for returning to work after stroke should be developed as part of neurorehabilitation. Stroke survivors and caregivers need psychological and social support during rehabilitation. Integrating public employment, social and health services, support for job placement, return to work, and social participation would help stroke survivors and caregivers in the return-to-work process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychosocial well-being is key to living well after stroke, but often significantly affected by stroke. Existing understandings consider well-being comes from positive mood, social relationships, self-identity and engagement in meaningful activities. However, these understandings are socioculturally located and not necessarily universally applicable. This qualitative metasynthesis examined how people experience well-being after a stroke in Aotearoa New Zealand. This metasynthesis was underpinned by He Awa Whiria (Braided Rivers), a model which prompts researchers to uniquely engage with Māori and non-Māori knowledges. A systematic search identified 18 articles exploring experiences of people with stroke in Aotearoa. Articles were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. We constructed three themes which reflect experiences of well-being: connection within a constellation of relationships, being grounded in one's enduring and evolving identities, and being at-home in the present whilst (re)visioning the future. Well-being is multi-faceted. In Aotearoa, it is inherently collective while also deeply personal. Well-being is collectively achieved through connections with self, others, community and culture, and embedded within personal and collective temporal worlds. These rich understandings of well-being can open up different considerations of how well-being is supported by and within stroke services. Psychosocial well-being is critical for people living with stroke. Well-being should be a priority in rehabilitation, however people with stroke indicate they do no consistently receive psychosocial support. It is clear that well-being has strong cultural elements, and understanding what supports well-being in individuals, whānau (those within wider networks who the person with stroke considers important), and wider cultural groups is important. Supporting whānau is crucial as whānau are core to well-being both during and beyond rehabilitation, and their own well-being is impacted by stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing expectation of physiotherapists to adopt a person-centred approach to their practice. Person-centredness for musculoskeletal physiotherapy, however, remains an under-researched area. A synthesis of the findings from qualitative studies exploring perceptions of person-centredness in musculoskeletal physiotherapy was conducted to inform future clinical practice. ENTREQ and PRISMA guidelines were used to develop a protocol for a qualitative systematic review registered with PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42020170762). Five electronic databases were searched to identify relevant primary studies. Studies were assessed for quality and data extracted. Data were analysed using thematic synthesis. A total of 3250 studies were identified and screened. Nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Four main themes emerged from the data: treating each patient as a unique person, the importance of communication for achieving a therapeutic alliance, necessary physiotherapist traits for person-centredness, and supporting patient empowerment. Empowerment of patients in musculoskeletal physiotherapy contexts might be improved through a more narrative approach to assessment, with clinical bravery recognised as a specific person-centred physiotherapy trait able to facilitate this. Physiotherapists should also consider the meaningfulness of any treatment activities they provide to maximise the person-centredness of their approach. Empowerment of patients in musculoskeletal physiotherapy contexts might be improved through a more narrative approach to assessment. Clinical bravery is a person-centred physiotherapy trait that facilitates certain conversational freedom to elicit the true patient narrative. Person-centred physiotherapists should reflect on how meaningful their treatment activities are for individual MSK outpatients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Invisible symptoms have a negative impact on people living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), related to the very notion that they are "unseen." It is important to understand the notion of "invisibility" in MS, as invisible symptoms are particularly distressing, and there is a paucity of research focussing on their invisible nature and its specific impact. We aimed to systematically identify, appraise and synthesise qualitative research regarding the notion of "invisibility" in relation to people's lived experience of symptoms of MS. Methods and materials: Articles meeting inclusion criteria were critically appraised and synthesised using a meta-ethnographic approach. Results: 17 articles were identified from six electronic databases. Three third-order themes were presented as a line of argument. "Invisibility" was conceptualised by people with MS as a discrepancy between the internal experience of symptoms and what is observed externally. "Invisibility" of MS symptoms was found to have numerous impacts, including not feeling understood or validated by others, issues around the perceived legitimacy of the illness, and living with needs which are hidden. We found that "invisibility" by its nature offers people a choice of strategies they use to navigate it. This choice introduces a dilemma: disclose the diagnosis to be "seen," or remain "invisible." Conclusions: This review revealed the manner in which people with MS are affected by the invisibility of their symptoms and the various adaptations used to navigate these lived experiences. We highlight the need to improve clinician and public understanding, and to better respond to these experiences. Future research focusing on the exploration of people's experiences of "invisibility" in MS, including the ways in which "invisibility" is managed on a day-to-day basis could raise clinical and public awareness of the impact of "invisibility" and how to provide support for this, thus easing the dilemmas faced by those with MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To systematically review and synthesise the qualitative literature on experiences that challenge self-identity following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Method: Four electronic databases were searched systematically for qualitative research published between 1965 and August 2017, investigating subjective experiences of identity change following TBI. Papers which met the inclusion criteria were evaluated using the Critical Skills Appraisal Programme (CASP) tool and synthesised using guidelines by Thomas and Harden (2008). Results: Of the 1965 papers retrieved, 36 met inclusion and quality criteria. Synthesis resulted in six themes: (1) awareness of change in physical, cognitive, emotional and social functioning; (2) autobiographical memory loss; (3) responses of other people that highlight change; (4) loss of autonomy; (5) comparing old me and new me-loss of valued roles and activities; (6) social rejection and stigma. Conclusions: An in-depth understanding of the experiences that challenge self-identity after TBI can inform rehabilitation to support individuals to negotiate these processes with less distress and more successfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Research indicates that strong social ties can buffer the adverse effects of chronic illness on psychological well-being. Brain tumor typically leads to serious functional impairments that affect relationships and reduce social participation. This metasynthesis aimed to identify, appraise and integrate the findings of qualitative studies that reveal the impact of brain tumor on social networks. Methods: Four major databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library and PsycINFO) were systematically searched from inception to September 2016 for qualitative studies that reported findings on the impact of primary brain tumor on social networks during adulthood. Twenty-one eligible studies were identified and appraised according to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research. Key findings of these studies were integrated to form superordinate themes. Results: The metasynthesis revealed the core themes of: 1) Life disrupted; 2) Navigating the new reality of life; and 3) Social survivorship versus separation. Conclusions: Multiple changes typically occur across the social trajectory of brain tumor, including a loss of pre-illness networks and the emergence of new ones. Understanding the barriers and facilitators for maintaining social connection may guide interventions for strengthening social networks and enhancing well-being in the context of brain tumor. Implications for rehabilitation: Social networks and roles are disrupted throughout the entire trajectory of living with brain tumor Physical, cognitive and psychological factors represent barriers to social integration Barriers to social integration may be addressed by supportive care interventions Compensatory strategies, adjusting goals and expectations, educating friends and family and accepting support from others facilitate social reintegration throughout the trajectory of living with brain tumor [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]