Goal attainment measure for stroke self-management: An umbrella review

Self-management support (SMS) interventions help stroke survivors achieve behavior changes to control stroke risk factors. Goal-setting is a fundamental skill widely recognized as integral to SMS. Theories related to goal-setting describe a mediating effect between the quality of a goal and successful goal attainment. However, direct measurement of goal attainment and its mediated effect on sustained behavior change is not well quantified. We report findings from an updated systematic review of peer-reviewed systematic reviews to identify current valid, reliable measures of goal attainment, with specific focus on goal-attainment measurement used in SMS interventions for stroke risk factors. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were used to ensure transparent reporting. Databases used were Medline (Ovid), PubMed (National Library of Medicine), Embase (Ovid), and PsycINFO (Ovid). A priori eligibility criteria included outcome measures for goal attainment and publication in English (2006–2017), following last major review. Of 1363 citations found, 808 titles and abstracts were screened; 52 articles were included in the full review and nine in the final analysis. No measures of goal attainment in the context of SMS for stroke risk factors were identified. The only published measures of goal attainment related to stroke were in the stroke-rehabilitation context. The effect of goal attainment on effective SMS of stroke risks factors could not be determined. We conclude there remains an absence of outcome measures for goal attainment in the context of SMS and SMS interventions that target stroke risk factors.