Abstract: Objective To systematically evaluate and synthesize the barriers to returning to work in patients with strokes. Methods PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PsycINFO, CBM, CNKI, and Wanfang Data were searched for qualitative studies on strokes’ experience of returning to work from the inception to September, 2020. The results were assessed by a pooled integration approach using the Australian JBI Evidence-Based Health Care Center (2016) Quality Evaluation Standards Evaluation. Results Seventeen studies were included and twenty-one findings were grouped according to similarities into 17 new categories, which resulted in 3 synthesized findings.Integrated results 1: physical impairment, psychological impairment and role maladaptation after stroke prevented survivors from returning to work; Integration results 2: inadequate social support systems prevented survivors from returning to work;Integrated results 3: poor conditions in the workplace prevented survivors from returning to work. Conclusion Returning to work after stroke is a complex process which can be influenced by organizational, social or personal factors. Healthcare workers should pay full attention to the factors that prevent stroke patients from returning to work, and provide timely and targeted support to promote stroke patients to return to work.

Key words: stroke, returning to work, qualitativeresearch, systematic review, Meta-synthesis