Previous experience and walking capacity predict community outings after stroke: An observational study.

Background: Following hospital discharge, stroke survivors may experience a decline in mobility, outings, and community participation. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between demographic and clinical measures, and the level of participation by community-dwelling stroke survivors. Methods: A prospective, multicenter, observational study was conducted. Participants were 83 community-dwelling stroke survivors with participation goals who were undergoing post-inpatient rehabilitation in Australia. Predictors collected at baseline, early after hospital discharge were demographic (age, gender, living situation, home access) and clinical measures (walking capacity, driving status, baseline outings). The outcome of interest was community participation 6 months later, measured over 7 days as number of outings (collected in a self-report diary). An outing was any excursion beyond the perimeter of the participants' dwelling into a public street. Results: Number of outings 6 months after admission to the study (mean 8.5/week, SD 5.3) was predicted by number of outings at baseline, walking capacity, and age. Driving status did not predict number of outings. Conclusion: The strongest predictors of community participation were the number of outings early post-inpatient rehabilitation, walking capacity, and age. The only significant modifiable predictor was walking capacity.