Abstract WP392: The Experiences of Young Adult Stroke Survivors Who Go Directly Home From Acute Care

Introduction: Young adults are the fastest growing population of stroke patients. Current treatments enable physicians to reverse ischemic stroke, and young adult stroke survivors (YASS) are increasingly discharged directly home with few to no neurological deficits. Without acute rehabilitation needs, there are limited opportunities to identify and address the psychosocial issues that may result from this significant health event. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of YASS who went home from acute care with few to no neurological deficits. Method: Qualitative research methods were used. YASS <55 years who received intravenous/intra-arterial treatment for a large vessel acute stroke and discharged directly home from a metropolitan hospital were recruited. Participants were interviewed in person using in-depth, semi-structured one hour interviews. They were asked about post-stroke discharge experiences and what it is like to be a YASS. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbat...