“I’m Not the Same Person Anymore”: Sociocultural Lived Experiences of Stroke Recovery Survivors in Malaysia

Nurul Husna Muhammad Hamzi; Syamsul Anwar Sultan Ibrahim; Aisya Widya Melati

doi:10.21834/e-bpj.v11i37.7949

Authors

Nurul Husna Muhammad Hamzi Centre for Occupational Therapy Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Selangor, Kampus Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8530-0453
Syamsul Anwar Sultan Ibrahim Centre for Occupational Therapy Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Selangor, Kampus Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
Aisya Widya Melati Hearty Bridge Early Intervention Center, Batam, Riau Island, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3144-9439

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v11i37.7949

Keywords:

Stroke survivors, Community reintegration, Sociocultural context, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Abstract

This study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to explore the lived experiences of recovery among 13 stroke survivors in Malaysia, within their sociocultural contexts. Three superordinate themes emerged: making sense of illness and recovery through sociocultural and embodied understandings; reconstructing and negotiating the self within sociocultural contexts; and navigating treatment choices within pluralistic and socioculturally influenced approaches. Findings indicate that recovery is shaped by cultural beliefs, spiritual practices, and social expectations, influencing identity and engagement with treatment. These insights highlight the importance of culturally responsive and person-centred rehabilitation.

References

Aderinto, N., Olatunji, G., Kokori, E., Agbo, C. E., Babalola, A. E., Yusuf, I. A., Tolulope, E. M., Oyelude, A. O., Adejumo, F. A., & Abraham, I. C. (2025). A scoping review of stroke rehabilitation in Africa: interventions, barriers, and research gaps. Journal Of Health Population and Nutrition, 44(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s41043-025-01004-z

Adigwe, G. A., Tribe, R. H., Alloh, F. T., & Smith, P. (2022). The Impact of Stroke on the Quality of Life (QOL) of Stroke Survivors in the Southeast (SE) Communities of Nigeria: A Qualitative Study. Disabilities, 2(3), 501–515. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/disabilities2030036

Ambrosca, R., Bolgeo, T., Zeffiro, V., Alvaro, R., Vellone, E., & Pucciarelli, G. (2024). The Role of Spirituality in Stroke Survivors and Their Caregivers: A Systematic Review. Journal of Religion and Health, 63(5), 3501–3531. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-024-02029-0

Deng, C., Li, L., Shen, Q., Zhang, X., Wang, Y., Ma, T., Lu, Q., Zhao, Y., Li, X., & Fu, L. (2025). Felt stigma as a determinant of health-related quality of life among community-dwelling stroke survivors in China: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 133, 111033. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocn.2025.111033

Honado, A. S., Atigossou, O. L. G., Roy, J. S., Daneault, J. F., & Batcho, C. S. (2023). Relationships between Self-Efficacy and Post-Stroke Activity Limitations, Locomotor Ability, Physical Activity, and Community Reintegration in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Cross-Sectional Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(3), 2286. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032286

Hu, R., Wang, X., Liu, Z., Hou, J., Liu, Y., Tu, J., Jia, M., Liu, Y., & Zhou, H. (2022). Stigma, depression, and post-traumatic growth among Chinese stroke survivors: A longitudinal study examining patterns and correlations. Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation, 29(1), 16–29. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10749357.2020.1864965

Hussain, M. (2024). Epidemiology of Stroke: A Comprehensive Overview. Journal of Experimental Stroke & Translational Medicine, 16(6), 277–278.

Laures-Gore, J. S., & Griffey, H. W. (2024). Religiosity, spirituality, healthcare, and aphasia rehabilitation. Seminars in Speech and Language, 45(1), 24–45. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0043-1776308

Mahmood, A., Nayak, P. H., Kok, G., English, C. K., Natarajan, M., & Solomon, J. M. (2021). Factors influencing adherence to home-based exercises among community-dwelling stroke survivors in India: a qualitative study. European Journal of Physiotherapy, 23(1), 48–54. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/21679169.2019.1635641

Nayak, A., Bhave, A. C., Misri, Z., Unnikrishnan, B., Mahmood, A., Joshua, A. M., & Karthikbabu, S. (2022). Facilitators and barriers of community reintegration among individuals with stroke: a scoping review. European Journal of Physiotherapy, 25(5), 291–304. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/21679169.2022.2156599

Njohjam, M. N., Falonne, N. T., & Ngoule, M. O. (2025). Barriers to medication adherence for secondary stroke prevention in rural communities in Cameroon: a qualitative study. BMC Primary Care, 26(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-025-02842-w

Persson, P., Hughton, A., & van Wees, S. L. (2024). Stroke survivors’ perceptions of living with disability in urban Ghana- a qualitative study. BMC Public Health, 24(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-21030-6

Pietkiewicz, I., & Smith, J. A. (2014). A practical guide to using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis in qualitative research psychology. Czasopismo PsychologicznePsychological Journal, 20(1), 7–14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14691/CPPJ.20.1.7

Prakash, V., & Ganesan, M. (2021). What matters to patients with stroke in India and why: a qualitative study. Disability And Rehabilitation, 43(18), 2585–2592. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2019.1706194

Rony, R. J., Amir, S., Ahmed, N., Atiba, S., Verdezoto, N., Sparkes, V., & Stawarz, K. (2024a). Understanding the Sociocultural Challenges and Opportunities for Affordable Wearables to Support Poststroke Upper-Limb Rehabilitation: Qualitative Study. JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies, 11(1), e54699. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2196/54699

Somtua, N., & Nuntaboot, K. (2025). Community-based rehabilitation for older adults’ post-stroke in Thailand: An ethnographic study. Belitung Nursing Journal, 11(2), 205–214. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33546/bnj.3690

Song, L., Sun, X., Li, C., Li, B., Jing, L., & Jing, X. (2025). Stigma experience and coping strategies in stroke survivors: a qualitative study. Frontiers in Psychology, 16. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1581639

Witt, P. A. De, Lindner, C., Franzsen, D., & Maseko, L. (2024). Environmental facilitators and barriers to community reintegration experienced by stroke survivors in an under-resourced urban metropolitan sub-district. South African Journal of Occupational Therapy, 54(2), 36–45. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17159/2310-3833/2024/vol54no2a5

Yarfi, C., Martei, S., Yaw Opoku Yarfi, S., & Tettey, E. (2023). The association between physical impairment and functional balance on community reintegration post stroke at a Peri urban area in Ghana. Journal of the Neurological Sciences, 455, 122467. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jns.2023.122467

Zhang, S., Fang, Y., Tu, H., & He, G. (2025). Mediation Analysis of the Social Isolation Between Stigma and Return-To-Work Readiness Among Young and Middle-Aged Patients with Stroke in China. Nursing Open, 12(4). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.70231