Network analysis of rehabilitation needs and influencing factors in aged patients recovering from first-time stroke.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the rehabilitation needs and influencing factors in aged patients recovering from cerebral infarction.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted from July to December 2025, selecting 436 aged patients recovering from their first cerebral infarction in the neurology department of a top-tier hospital in Anhui Province. The survey included general information, and scales for the following: stroke rehabilitation needs, the Barthel Index (ADL scale), social support, and self-efficacy.

RESULTS

The average rehabilitation needs score was 140.60 ± 29.806. The key rehabilitation needs identified were assistance with putting on and taking off clothes and shoes (rs = 1.256), swallowing function training (rs = 1.221), support for feelings of inferiority (rs = 1.208), personal hygiene help (rs = 1.200), and understanding of the discharge follow-up plan (rs = 1.197). Network analysis showed that self-care ability, social support, and self-efficacy significantly impacted rehabilitation needs.

DISCUSSION: In older adults recovering from their first-ever ischemic stroke, rehabilitation needs are closely connected. The central need is assistance with dressing, including putting on and taking off clothes and shoes. These needs are shaped by multiple factors, such as lesion location on the right side, early participation in rehabilitation, self-care ability, self-efficacy, and social support, all of which play key roles. Therefore, rehabilitation interventions should consider both patients' specific needs and the factors that influence them. Tailored, precise care can better address their rehabilitation needs and enhance their quality of life.