Written education materials for stroke patients and their carers: perspectives and practices of health professionals.

Inadequacies in the provision of written education materials to stroke patients and their carers have been reported. In this study, 20 stroke team health professionals were surveyed regarding their use of and perspectives on written education materials. Seventy percent of participants provided materials to 25% or fewer stroke patients and 90% believed that patients and carers are only occasionally or rarely provided with sufficient written information. Health professionals were uncertain which team members provided written information and identified the need to improve the quality of materials used. Stroke teams should implement a system that facilitates the routine provision of quality written materials to patients and carers, communication among team members, and documentation and verbal reinforcement of the information provided.