Objective To explore effect of peer support on the disease stigma of convalescent stroke patients.

Methods A total of 110 stroke patients hospitalized in the rehabilitation departmentwere selected as study objects. The random number table method was used to allocate the participants into intervention group (54 patients) and the control group (56 patients). The patients in the control group received usual care, while those in the intervention group received peer support interventionin addition to usual care. Stigma Scale for Chronic Illnesses, Modified Barthel Index, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and Chronic Disease Self-efficacy Scale were used to assess these patients.

Results After intervention, the internal shame score, external shame score and total stigma score of the experimental group were (2.05±0.65), (1.95±0.59) and (2.00±0.60) respectively, which were lower than (2.55±0.70), (2.37±0.77) and (2.46±0.71), respectively in the control group, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). After intervention, the total score of social support and the score of the dimension of friend support in the experimental group were (52.73±10.70) and (16.38±5.05), respectively, which were higher than (46.92±9.73) and (13.42±4.19) in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). After intervention, the score of activities of daily living in the experimental group was (80.00±14.01), which was higher than (66.00±22.25) in the control group (P < 0.05). After intervention, the total score of self-efficacy of chronic disease in the experimental group was (5.97±1.54), which was higher than (3.17±1.82) in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05).

Conclusion Peer support intervention strategy can reduce the stigma of disease in stroke patients in the recovery period, and improve their activities of daily living, social support level and self-efficacy.