Currently submitted to: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: Apr 1, 2026
Open Peer Review Period: Apr 1, 2026 - May 27, 2026
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Post-discharge nurse-led rehabilitation to improve functional activity and community participation among post-stroke patients in Bangladesh: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
ABSTRACT
Background:
Post-acute intervention is pivotal to preventing functional disability among stroke patients. Nurse-led rehabilitation intervention can be an effective way to improve functional ability and reintegration into society of post-stroke patients.
Objective:
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured nurse-led multidisciplinary post-acute rehabilitation program to improve the self-care functional disability among stroke patients.
Methods:
This is a parallel (1:1), open-label, prospective randomized controlled trial that has been conducted at the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital (NINS&H), Dhaka, Bangladesh. We include participants who are 18 years old and above, both males and females, regardless of stroke type or time, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 2-4 with disability on upper and/or lower limb(s), physician advice for rehabilitation, require assistive devices for activities of daily living (ADL), possess a smartphone, and are willing to provide consent and participate in the study. We exclude individuals who are involved in other clinical trials, those planning to undertake institutional rehabilitation services, and those with communication difficulties (speech impairments). The intervention group receives rehabilitative education, assistive devices, and teleservices for biweekly follow-up after hospital discharge. The control group receives usual discharge education and advice on routine follow-up at discharge. The primary outcome measures functional independence after 6 months of rehabilitation. Secondary outcomes include the evaluation of 1) rehabilitation adherence, 2) motor function, 3) self-efficacy, 4) emotional status, and 5) activity participation of post-stroke disabled patients after 6 months of rehabilitation. Researchers evaluate patients at baseline, at midline after 3 months, and at endline after 6 months of intervention.
Results:
The patient's enrolment started in February 2026, and follow-up will be completed in October 2026. A total of 166 patients will be recruited in the intervention (n = 83) and control (n = 83) groups. This study was approved by the institutional review board of NINS&H, Dhaka, Bangladesh, on January 18, 2026.
Conclusions:
The results can contribute to a scalable, culturally appropriate nurse-led rehabilitation intervention to ensure smooth post-stroke daily living activities with disabilities. Clinical Trial: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07384650; https://clinicaltrials.gov/search?id= NCT07384650
Citation
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