Use of health services by elderly people post-stroke: a randomized controlled trial

AIM: To verify the relation of a nursing home care educational intervention in the use of health services by elderly people post-stroke. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial conducted with 44 family caregivers of elderly people post-stroke. Data was collected between May/2016 and July/2018 in a hospital in the South of Brazil and at the participants' homes. The intervention group (IG=21) received home visits by nurses after hospital discharge. The control group (CG=23) had a conventional follow-up in a conventional health services. The Pearson's Chi-Square Test or the Fisher's Exact Test was performed for assessment of the outcome at 60 days and 1 year after discharge. Clinical Trial registration NCT02807012. RESULTS: There was a significant difference regarding the use of hospital outpatient service (IG=100%, CG=78.3%, p<0.050) 60 days after discharge. CONCLUSION: The great use of outpatient service by the IG demonstrates the effectiveness of nursing educational intervention focused on health care network after discharge.