Impact of post-stroke impairments on activities and participation as experienced by stroke survivors in a Western Cape setting

INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW The World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) was used as the study framework1. According to the ICF, disability is the result of a complex nonlinear interaction between health conditions that can cause impairments (loss or change of physiological or anatomical body function or structure) which might or might not curtail the ability to perform activities and participate in social roles. Participation as defined by the ICF is “involvement in life situations”1:123. Thus it encompasses the things that give meaning to peoples’ lives such as employment, home making, caring for family, sports, leisure activities, spiritual involvement, management of personal affairs, and community and civic activities. Impairments, activities and participation are influenced by contextual factors which consist of environmental and personal factors1. This article focuses on the impact of impairments, typically experienced post-stroke, on activities and participation. Stroke can result in multiple impairments of varied severity as any of the body functions controlled by the central nervous system can be affected. Paralysis, sensory, perceptual and cognitive deficits can lead to a variety of activity limitations2,3. These impairments commonly affect activities like self-care, walking, stair climbing and speech, which in turn negatively impact on home making ability, Impact of post-stroke impairments on activities and participation as experienced by stroke survivors in a Western Cape setting