Predictors of access to healthcare services within 1 month after stroke in a developing country: A longitudinal prospective study

Background Globally, people with disabilities face difficulties accessing care, resulting in worse health outcomes and higher healthcare costs. However, information regarding access to healthcare services for stroke survivors in developing countries is scarce. Objective To identify predictors of access to healthcare services within 1 month of hospital discharge in a developing country (Brazil). Methods For six months, individuals from a stroke unit, aged ≥20 years, after their first stroke and without previous disability, were included and evaluated at hospital discharge for socio‐demographic (sex, age, education, and socio‐economic level) and clinical‐functional (severity of stroke and level of disability) characteristics. The number and type of referrals to healthcare services provided by hospital staff were also recorded. One month after hospital discharge, data regarding access to healthcare services obtained by the subjects were collected. The Wilcoxon test was used to compare the number of referrals and access to healthcare services obtained by the subjects. To identify the predictors of access, a binary logistic regression was used (α = 5%). Results A total of 78 individuals were evaluated one month after hospital discharge, all with at least one referral. The total access to healthcare services within 1 month of stroke was significantly lower than the total number of referrals (p