Brazilian Adaptation of an Intervention Developed in Ireland to Promote Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Post-stroke: a Feasibility Study

Launched by FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF MINAS GERAIS · Aug 11, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is testing a program adapted from Ireland to help people in Brazil who have had a stroke adopt healthier lifestyle habits. The goal is to see if this program, called "iHELP Stroke," can work well in Brazil by encouraging changes like being more active, eating better, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol use, and taking medications as prescribed. Since Brazil faces many challenges with stroke recovery and prevention, the study aims to find out if this adapted program is practical and helpful for people living there.

Adults who have had a stroke, are living at home, and feel they need to improve at least one health habit—such as physical activity, diet, smoking, alcohol use, or medication adherence—may be eligible to join. People with severe memory problems, certain health conditions that make participation difficult, or significant speech difficulties won’t be able to join. Participants will take part in eight weekly sessions, including one educational meeting, one individual session, and six group meetings, all designed to support healthy lifestyle changes. This small study will help researchers understand how well the program can be offered in Brazil and prepare for larger future studies.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Clinical diagnosis of subacute or chronic stroke;
• • Age ≥ 18 years;
• • Discharged from hospital and living in the community;
• • Self-identified need to change at least one of the following lifestyle-related behaviors: physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, smoking, harmful alcohol use, or non-adherence to prescribed medication.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Positive screening test for possible cognitive alterations;
• • Pain or other adverse health conditions that compromise the performance of the proposed intervention program, such as vestibular disorders, severe arthritis, or any other diagnosed disease of the nervous system;
• • Presence of comprehensive and/or expressive aphasia.