Abstract

Background Stroke is a leading cause of disability and mortality in the Philippines, where access to formal rehabilitation services is limited. There is a lack of research on the lived experiences of people with stroke and their household carers across diverse urban and rural settings. Objective To explore the experiences, challenges and support needs of people with stroke and their household carers throughout the Philippines, and to inform the co‐design of a community‐based stroke support programme. Methods A descriptive qualitative design was used. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 24 people with stroke and 20 household carers across six sites in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Interviews were enriched by auto‐photography and visual elicitation. Data were analysed thematically using an interpretivist approach, through collaborative analysis by UK‐ and Philippine‐based researchers. Results Four key themes were identified: (1) Multidimensional burden of stroke for people with stroke and household carers, including physical, psychological, social and financial impacts; (2) Cultural management and coping practices, emphasising the central role of family, use of traditional therapies and adaptive strategies, rooted in cultural values such as ‘pagtitiis’ (resilience and endurance) and ‘utang na loob’ (reciprocal obligation); (3) Knowledge and awareness of stroke and rehabilitation, revealing significant gaps and reliance on personal experience and informal information sources; and (4) Stroke care and rehabilitation needs, challenges, and recommendations, showing limited service availability and geographical and financial barriers, particularly in rural areas, alongside a strong desire for accessible, community‐based support. Conclusion Culturally relevant, gender‐sensitive and accessible community‐based stroke support and education programmes are urgently needed in the Philippines to address unmet needs and inequities in immediate and longer‐term care. Patient or Public Contribution A PPIE group consisting of people with stroke and other physical disabilities and carers reviewed the study protocol, interview topic guides and participant‐facing documents and provided feedback on initial themes.