Journal of Thai Stroke Society

Message from President of Thai Stroke Society

chesda Udommongkol — 2026-08-30

Editorial

Varuth Sudthikanueng — 2026-08-30

Stroke News

Varuth Sudthikanueng — 2026-08-30

Public Relations

Napasri Chaisinanunkul — 2026-08-30

Outcomes of Adherence to Clinical Practice Guidelines for Dysphagia Rehabilitation Among Stroke Patients: A Retrospective Analysis

Porntippa Thimayom — 2026-08-30

Objectives: To analyze and synthesize swallowing rehabilitation guidelines for patients with dysphagia following stroke, and to evaluate the outcomes of swallowing rehabilitation based on these guidelines.

Methods: This study employed both qualitative and quantitative approaches and was conducted in two phases according to the study objectives. Phase 1 involved a documentary research design, analyzing stroke rehabilitation guidelines developed by the Neurological Institute from 2002 to 2016.Phase 2 was a retrospective descriptive study of 200 stroke patients with dysphagia who received occupational therapy services at the Neurological Institute between October 2017 and September 2022.

Results: The findings indicated that the swallowing rehabilitation guidelines for stroke patients with dysphagia could be effectively implemented in clinical practice by a multidisciplinary team. Outcomes showed that 71% of patients demonstrated at least a one-level improvement in swallowing ability as measured by the Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS). Additionally, patients who received 6–10 sessions of swallowing rehabilitation were able to have their feeding tubes removed, depending on the severity of their condition.

Conclusion: The implementation of clinical practice guidelines for dysphagia rehabilitation in stroke patients, through systematic screening alongside a multidisciplinary team, can significantly enhance patients' swallowing capabilities, substantially reduce the incidence of aspiration pneumonia, promote safe oral intake, and effectively lower readmission rates.

Experiences, Needs, and Barriers in Stroke Recovery among Working-Age Patients and Their Caregivers: A Transition from Hospital to Home

nuntakarn paksee — 2026-08-30

This qualitative study aimed to explore the experiences, needs, and barriers in stroke recovery among working-age patients and their caregivers during the transition from hospital to home. Interpretive phenomenology was employed as the methodological framework, guided by the Transitional Care Model. Participants were purposively selected, comprised 13 working-age stroke survivors and 13 primary caregivers. Data were collected through two-phase of in-depth interviews: Before discharge and home visits two to four weeks post-discharge. Data analysis followed Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña's content analysis approach. Three major themes emerged. First, transitional adjustment experiences were characterized by a profound identity crisis linked to occupational role loss and significant emotional burden among unprepared caregivers. Second, participants reported unmet supportive needs, including tailored information and self-management skills, return-to-work support, and accessible psychosocial assistance. Third, barriers to rehabilitation included post-stroke depression, economic and environmental constraints, and critical gaps in information transfer between hospital and community health teams. These findings highlight the urgent need to develop transitional care programs specifically responsive to the unique needs of working-age stroke survivors within the Thai healthcare context.

The Study of the Coordination Time for Stroke Patients Referred to Ramathibodi Hospital

Nalinlana Chariyadech — 2026-08-30

This study aimed to examine the coordination time for stroke patients referred to Ramathibodi Hospital. Started when the other hospitals contacted the referral unit until the patient was admitted to Ramathibodi Acute Stroke Unit. The data collected from January 2020 to December 2024, totaling 55 cases divided into 7 points of time: 1) started coordinating, 2) received the data, 3) notified the doctor, 4) the doctor accepted the referral, 5) replied back, 6) transferred, 7) referred to Ramathibodi Hospital. Using a data recording form as a research tool, consisting of 4 sections: general information, past and present illness information, time spent on each process, and the number of times in all processes, used to evaluate the achievement of the referral and any delays process. Data analyses used frequency, percentage, maximum, minimum, mean, standard deviation and P-value.

The results found that 6 periods of referral processes, ranked from the most to least delayed: replied back until transferred, notified the doctor until accepted the referral, transferred by ambulance until referred to Ramathibodi Hospital, started coordinating and received the needed data, the doctor accepted the referral until replied to their hospitals, and received the needed data until notified the doctor.

This study aimed to reduce the time and shorten the steps of processes. Not only increased the overall nursing competency but also developed the referral system. That will benefit for the patients to be cured more quickly, reduce disability and death ratio. Lead to a favorable outcome.