Survivors complain stroke blurs roles

ARMAGH, Northern Ireland, June 19 (UPI) -- Researchers in Northern Ireland say stroke survivors report experiencing blurred gender roles and loss of sexual desire.

The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Nursing, also found feelings like anger and frustration were confounded by a lack of independence and ongoing fatigue.

Hilary Thompson of Mullinure Hospital in Armagh and Assumpta Ryan from the School of Nursing and Institute of Nursing Research at the University of Ulster spoke to 16 married stroke survivors, nine male and seven female, ages 33-78.

"All the participants perceived stroke as a life-changing event," Thompson says in a statement. "They faced a continuous daily struggle to achieve some sense of normality and that required huge amounts of physical and mental effort."

The researchers developed four key recommendations for clinical practice.

-- Nurse education should focus on holistic care for the physical and psychosocial effects of stroke.

-- Healthcare professionals and service providers should be sensitive to the profound impact of stroke on sexuality and sexual function.

-- Counseling services should be available on an acute and long-term basis to stroke patients and their spouses to help cope with the complex issues involved.

-- Evidence-based guidance should be available so nurses can most effectively address the psychosocial needs of stroke survivors.