Grant: DRA : Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral Program (CGRS D)

A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is an episode that happens when blood flow to the brain is briefly blocked. This could cause temporary symptoms like face and body weaknesses or vision problems. While symptoms go away, the risk of experiencing stroke onset after TIA is high. The risk is especially high within the first few days after the TIA episode. Thus, there is importance in understanding how to better support TIA management for the prevention of stroke onset. For this project, I will be evaluating a new program called the TIA Management and Prevention (TMP) clinic. The TMP clinic is delivered through video conferencing calls and run by teams consisting of various trained health professional students (i.e., medical, nursing, occupational therapy, and physical therapy students) who will be supervised by licensed health professionals. Over nine weeks, each participant will meet with a student team once a week for 60-90 minutes. Sessions include education about TIA and chronic disease management, training in self-management skills such as problem solving and action planning, and group exercise sessions that encourage peer support. To evaluate the TMP clinic, 30 adults who have experienced at least one TIA will be recruited from stroke networks in British Columbia and Quebec. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the TMP clinic or an attention-control program focused on memory and concentration strategies. Researchers will collect information on feasibility (i.e., recruitment, participation, and resources), as well as outcomes related to self-management, health behaviours, emotional well-being, and social participation. Findings from this study will show whether the TMP clinic is practical to deliver and whether it may help people manage their health after a TIA. Results will be used to prepare for a larger trial and could inform future stroke prevention programs.