The Experience of Cognitive Impairment in Malaysian Elderly: Stroke as a Case Study

This mixed methods research used stroke as a case study to explore the experience of cognitive impairment (CI) in the Malaysian rural elderly. Stroke is known for its effects on the physical, cognitive, emotional and social aspects of people. The effects of post- stroke cognitive impairment which is common and carries implications on functional recovery were seldom described in the literature. More so in Malaysia, where data on stroke is limited. Health survey data was used to examine the prevalence of subjective memory complaints and factors associated with how health is perceived. Ethnographic methods were then employed to study the experiences of stroke survivors, in relation to CI.