Resilience among Stroke Survivors: The experience of Hong Kong women

Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability in Hong Kong. With a longer life expectancy than men and an increased participation rate in the labor force, female stroke survivors in Hong Kong often have to rely on themselves to overcome physical, psychological, and structural obstacles. Previous studies on stroke focused primarily on its symptoms, coping mechanism, and the pathological paradigm. However, few considered stroke survivors’ resilience – an individual’s ability to positively adapt to and thrive amid significant adversity. Furthermore, much of the current medical empirical evidence is filtered through the Western male perspectives, upholding masculine traits as the norm. This study, however, considered how Chinese female stroke survivors have overcome personal and environmental obstacles and transformed their lives beyond the limitations of their disability.In the present study, interviews were used to investigate the perspectives of 11 female stroke survivors. Results showed that environmental and personal resources facilitated their adjustment to post-stroke life and encouraged them to develop their inner strengths. With these protective factors, the female stroke survivors were able to acquire and display cognitive, psychosocial, spiritual, and relational resilience. Our findings contributed not only to the multidimensional view of resilience, but also to the concept of social sustainability, which emphasizes the ability of present and future generations to remain healthy and secure. Social work practices that provide the necessary environmental support, incorporate spirituality into survivors’ recovery process, and develop their resilience would help promote the social capital and community’s well-being in the long run.