Acknowledging How Older Australian Women Experience Life After Stroke: How Does the WHO 18-Item Brief ICF Core Set for Stroke Compare?

Abstract

We examined older women's qualitative experiences of stroke with the World Health Organization's 18-item Brief International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Set for Stroke. Women were participants of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, born between 1921 and 1926, who had experienced a stroke in the previous 3 years. An inductive thematic analysis was conducted of women's qualitative experiences of stroke, which were then examined with the 18-item Brief Core Set for Stroke for congruency. Our analysis showed that for older Australian women, their concerns of poststroke living were not adequately classified, potentially impeding a full recovery.