# COMPASS: A NOVEL TRANSITION PROGRAM TO REDUCE DISABILITY AFTER STROKE

> **NIH NIH R01** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $271,597

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY ABSTRACT
Stroke is a leading cause of disability in the United States. Most stroke survivors have difficulty
performing daily activities and participating in the community. Efficacy of interventions that
address the chronic needs of stroke survivors has been identified as a high priority for stroke
research. A gap in care exists at the point of transition from inpatient rehabilitation (IR) to home,
when survivors encounter new environmental barriers due to the cognitive and sensorimotor
sequelae of stroke. Resolving these barriers and improving independence in the community
have potential to significantly improve stroke survivors’ long-term morbidity. The proposed study
investigates the efficacy and safety of a novel enhanced rehabilitation-transition program to
reduce environmental barriers and improve daily activity performance and community
participation. Community Participation Transition after Stroke (COMPASS) uses 2
complimentary evidence-based interventions: home modifications and strategy training
delivered in the home. Home modifications provide environmental support to compensate for
impairments. Strategy training enables patients to identify and prioritize ADL problems, identify
barriers to performance, and develop strategies to resolve barriers. The complementary effects
of these therapies at a novel point of care offer a robust intervention for a current service gap.
The primary aim of this phase IIb, single-blind, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial is to
investigate the efficacy of COMPASS during the transition from IR to home. Participants will be
randomized to receive either COMPASS or attentional control. We hypothesize that COMPASS
participants will demonstrate significant improvements in community participation and ADL
performance and significant reduction in environmental barriers versus control. In preparation
for a phase III multicenter trial, we will explore additional candidate study endpoints and
establish intervention safety by examining the rates of falls and hospital readmissions. Finally,
we will conduct a process evaluation examining outcomes such as reach, cost, fidelity, and
adherence to aid interpretability of the trial and implementation. The aims fill critical gaps in
stroke rehabilitation evidence by investigating the efficacy, safety, and implementation of an
intervention targeting the transition from an acute to chronic condition. The results of this trial
will provide important information about the long-term participation and environmental barriers of
stroke survivors. The project has the potential to resolve the significant unmet need of disability
after stroke.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9962903
- **Project number:** 5R01HD092398-04
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Susan Lynn Stark
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $271,597
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-08-28 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9962903

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9962903, COMPASS: A NOVEL TRANSITION PROGRAM TO REDUCE DISABILITY AFTER STROKE (5R01HD092398-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9962903. Licensed CC0.

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