The domains of stroke recovery: a synopsis of the literature.

Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability in the United States. The neurological insult following a stroke may leave the survivor with a chronic illness encompassing a lifetime of recovery. Recovery for the stroke survivor entails more than the return of function. A synopsis of the literature indicates that there are three domains of stroke recovery: physical, psychological, and social. There are six categories that comprise the three domains: cognition, function, health perception, self-concept, relationships, and role change. Stroke is a multifaceted and complex disease. Individual aspects of stroke recovery do not occur in isolation and cannot be separated from one another. In the future, studies involving the integration of the domains of stroke recovery are needed to understand the interactive processes that support recovery.