OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Research for occupational therapy

Papers an occupational therapist can act on, across daily living, mental health, hand therapy, paediatrics and rehabilitation, each read in full rather than from its abstract.

10,853 PAPERS · PAGE 14 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTSLPRNSystematic Review2024Subjective Cognitive Dysfunction in Chronic Illness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis.Western journal of nursing researchPeople with chronic illness said memory, attention, and word-finding problems made self-management and relationships harder. They wanted providers to take their symptoms seriously and give brief, clear guidance.
• PTOTRNCohort2024Patient, Practice, and Organizational Factors Associated With Early Mobility Performance in Critically Ill Adults.American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care NursesIn ICU records, prior-day physical or occupational therapy, sedation targets, awakening trials, breathing trials, and safety screens were linked with more next-day mobility. Deep sedation, delirium, restraints, benzodiazepines, and mechanical ventilation were linked with less.
• OTQualitative2025Navigating Life With Parkinson's Disease: A Focus Group Study on Coping Strategies and Considerations for Self-Management Support.Journal of advanced nursingPeople with Parkinson's disease described coping as changing over time, often moving from denial or avoidance to proactive task-oriented strategies after a key point. They wanted tailored self-management support beyond medication, including peers, lifestyle, psycho-emotional guidance and autonomy.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Machine learning methods to discover hidden patterns in well-being and resilience for healthy aging.Journal of nursing scholarship : an official publication of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of NursingAdults with self-reported thinking challenges had the broadest range of co-occurring physical and social health issues. They also reported the highest number of strengths and needs compared to those with mobility, emotional, or sleep challenges.
• OTCohort2024School Perceptions and Attendance for Children With Medical Complexity During COVID-19 Over Time.The Journal of school healthFull-time in-person school attendance rose from 48.4% to 90.1% across three survey waves, but confidence in school safety did not improve equally. Families reporting motivation, benefits, and school encouragement were more likely to attend.
• PTOTRNCohort2024Physical and Cognitive Function Trends in Post-acute Care after Total Joint Arthroplasty in Medicare Beneficiaries: 2013-2018.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationFrom 2013 to 2018, Medicare patients after hip or knee replacement shifted from nursing or rehab facilities to home health. Home health and rehab patients became more dependent and cognitively impaired; nursing facility patients became less dependent and impaired.
• OTRNCohort2024Association of Novel Ventricular Assist Device Self-report Measures With Overall Health-Related Quality of Life.The Journal of cardiovascular nursingTwo of five new LVAD self-report measures were linked to heart-failure-specific quality of life at 3 months, not to generic quality of life. Chest incision pain and adverse events were also linked to lower quality of life.
• OTQualitative2025Being Open to a Process of Learning: The Meaning of Joint Activities With Patients as Narrated by Nursing Staff in Psychiatric Inpatient Care.International journal of mental health nursingJoint activities with psychiatric inpatients meant courage, learning and shared personhood for nursing staff. They also brought uncertainty and colleague criticism.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2025Understanding attendance patterns and determinants in cardiac, pulmonary, and ICU rehabilitation/recovery programs: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Heart & lung : the journal of critical careAcross studies, 54% of referred patients attended cardiac, pulmonary, or ICU recovery programs at least once, but rates ranged from 3.7% to 94.8%. Transportation, cost, work conflicts, and little program contact were barriers. Provider recommendation and flexible scheduling were facilitators.
• PTOTRNQualitative2025'Balancing Challenges and Personal Resources': A Qualitative Study of Women's Experiences of Arm Impairment After Axillary Surgery for Breast Cancer.Journal of advanced nursingWomen after axillary surgery said arm symptoms often improved, but some had lasting pain, swelling or stiffness that required exercises, daily adaptations, clear information and supportive follow-up.
• OTOther2025Improving the Use of Sensory Approaches in an Acute Inpatient Mental Health Unit Using a Co-Designed Multifaceted Implementation Strategy.International journal of mental health nursingOverall sensory approach use did not increase enough to be sure after the ward programme, although sensory kits/trolleys, weighted items and sensory plans were used more often. Seclusion and restraint events fell, but the counts were too small to test.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Skilled Nursing Facility Rehabilitation Intensity and Successful Discharge in Persons with Dementia.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationVeterans with dementia after heart failure hospitalization who received more combined weekly audiology, speech-language, occupational and physical therapy were more likely to return home successfully. The study cannot show any single therapy caused this.
• PTOTQualitative2025Nurses' Descriptions of Interdisciplinary Interactions in Stroke and Geriatric Rehabilitation Units: A Case Example of the Registered Practical Nurse.Journal of advanced nursingThirty-one Ontario registered practical nurses said rehab team interactions depended on clear roles and communication: they carried over therapy, followed therapist transfer and swallowing directives, and used whiteboards/charts. These are perceptions, not patient outcomes.
• PTOTRNSystematic Review2024Age-Friendly Healthcare: An Evolutionary Concept Analysis.Journal of clinical nursingOlder adult care is described as age-friendly when it supports autonomy, accessible environments, continuity, communication and prevention of care-related harm. The literature is fragmented, and patient outcome measurement is limited.
• OTSLPSystematic Review2024Features of culturally and linguistically relevant speech-language assessments for Indigenous children: A scoping review.The Australian journal of rural healthRelevant assessments for Indigenous children use several sources, including language samples, observation and dynamic assessment, in familiar settings, while accounting for home language and dialect. Standardised tests alone may misread difference as disorder.
• OTRNQualitative2024Hospital Experiences of Carers in Relation to the Comprehensive Care Standard: A Mixed Method Study.Journal of clinical nursingCarers of hospital patients described inconsistent involvement. While 75.7% felt given a chance to provide information, 64.4% reported staff did not share consistent information. Poor communication and exclusion from decision-making were primary sources of dissatisfaction.
• OTRNQualitative2025Women's Experience and Management of Cancer-Related Fatigue and Psychological Distress During Treatment for Gynaecological Cancer: A Qualitative Study.Journal of advanced nursingWomen treated for gynaecological cancer described fatigue as bone-deep exhaustion and distress from family roles, treatment side effects, and recurrence fears. They used distraction, support, self-encouragement, walking, or rest; some found no relief.
• OTRNSystematic Review2025The Experiences and Perceptions of Telehealth in Patients Living With Advanced Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis.Journal of advanced nursingPatients with advanced COPD described telehealth as supporting independence, symptom monitoring and connection to clinicians, but small screens, poor internet, cost, privacy worries and fixed call times made it burdensome.
• PTOTPilot2025Effects of the Vitality Acupunch Exercise Program on Older Adults With Probable Sarcopenia: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study.Journal of holistic nursing : official journal of the American Holistic Nurses' AssociationIn nursing-home residents with probable sarcopenia, a 24-week seated acupunch program did not improve the main physical outcomes overall, but handgrip strength was higher at the end and participants described greater strength and enjoyment.
• PTOTSLPRNCohort2025The association of early passive mobilization with intracranial pressure in the adult intensive care unit: A prospective, cohort study.Nursing in critical carePassive range of motion exercises did not increase intracranial pressure or destabilize heart rate and blood pressure in twenty mechanically ventilated, sedated ICU patients. The findings suggest routine passive mobilization is safe for these selected patients, though the study was small.
• PTOTSLPRNRCT2024Serum Albumin Level at Intensive Care Unit Admission and Delirium Duration and Severity in Critically Ill Adults.American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care NursesLow albumin at ICU admission did not predict how long delirium lasted or how severe it was in adults with delirium. However, patients with low albumin stayed in the hospital and ICU longer and were less likely to be discharged alive.
• PTOTRNOther2024Self-care dependency assessment of person with lower limb amputation: an exploratory study.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemIn 40 home-dwelling adults after dysvascular major lower-limb amputation, walking and bathing had highest dependency; feeding lowest. Toilet, walking and transferring scores were the strongest predictors of overall autonomy.
• PTOTRNSurvey2024Prevalence and Risk Factors of Self-Reported Sarcopenia and Its Association With Multimorbidity in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.Nursing & health sciencesCommunity older adults with two or more chronic conditions had self-reported sarcopenia more often: 43.5% versus 20.8%. Consider SARC-F to flag low strength, walking assistance, rising, stairs and falls in multimorbid patients.
• PTOTRNRCT2024mHealth-Based Self-Management Program for Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Study.Nursing & health sciencesQuality of life and disease activity did not differ between groups, though nurse-led mHealth self-management improved knowledge, confidence controlling symptoms, perceived health, depression levels and physical activity at some time points.
• OTQualitative2024Nurse managers on healthy environments for adolescents living with intellectual disabilities.CurationisNurse managers in South Africa identified four pillars for a healthy environment for adolescents with intellectual disabilities: safety, collaborative care, competent staffing, and adequate physical resources. These findings describe management perspectives, not patient outcomes.
• PTOTSLPRNSystematic Review2025Non-pharmacological interventions to support the cognitive rehabilitation of patients admitted to the intensive care unit: An umbrella review.Nursing in critical careNo definitive conclusion can be drawn about non-pharmacological cognitive rehabilitation for ICU patients. Interventions are described as personalized and multicomponent, but evidence is too limited to show which ones work.
• PTOTSLPRNRCT2025Clinical Effectiveness of Multimodal Exercise Combined With Supportive Music and Imagery in the Management of Poststroke Mood Disorders.The Journal of neuroscience nursing : journal of the American Association of Neuroscience NursesStroke patients who added multimodal exercise and music imagery to standard care had significantly lower anxiety and depression scores than those receiving standard care alone. These improvements persisted for nine months after the five-week programme ended.
• PTOTSLPRNSystematic Review2025Older Migrant Patients and Health Care Professionals' Experiences With Digital Translation Tools in Care Interactions: A Qualitative Literature Review.Journal of transcultural nursing : official journal of the Transcultural Nursing SocietyDigital translation tools help older migrant patients and clinicians manage basic care tasks like pain assessment and hygiene. However, inaccurate translations and complex medical language limit their usefulness. These tools should support, not replace, human interpreters for diagnosis, consent, or serious conversations.
• OTOther2025Higher patient activation is associated with lower odds of functional limitation in older adults with chronic diseases.Geriatric nursing (New York, N.Y.)In 159 older adults with multiple chronic diseases, higher patient activation was associated with less functional limitation. This does not prove activation causes better function.
• PTOTRNOther2024Multidisciplinary Inpatient Community Rehabilitation Programmes for Frail Older People: A Scoping Review.Nursing openMultidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation for frail older people is reported in few studies, mostly focused on mobility and function. The intervention studies had no control group, and outcomes varied widely, so the review cannot show which programme works.
• OTRNQualitative2025Eating Together but Often Feeling Lonely: Residents' Mealtime Experiences in a Nursing Home.Journal of clinical nursingResidents said familiar, tasty, easy-to-chew food mattered most. Stable routines and staff who knew their preferences made mealtimes calmer. Many felt lonely, found it hard to talk with incompatible companions, and sometimes ate in apartments.
• PTOTRNPilot2024A Pilot Home-Telehealth Program to Enhance Functional Ability, Physical Performance, and Physical Activity in Older Adult Veterans Post-Hospital Discharge.Research in gerontological nursingA 6-month home telehealth program with a physical activity trainer nearly doubled daily steps in older veterans post-discharge. Functional ability and physical performance showed modest, non-significant improvements. High dropout rates and small sample size limit conclusions on efficacy.
• PTOTSLPRNQualitative2025"Hello… I'm Here!" A Co-Productive Qualitative Study Involving Older People With Vision Impairment and Their Experiences of Acute Hospital Care.Journal of advanced nursingSeven older adults with vision impairment described acute hospital care as traumatic and disabling. They felt invisible when staff failed to introduce themselves, left call bells out of reach, and ignored guide dogs. Small environmental adjustments like contrasting cup colours and verbal orientation improved their sense of safety.
• PTOTRNOther2024Purposes and characteristics of virtual reality technologies for the elderly in the community: a scoping review.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemCommunity older adults used VR for balance, gait, strength, cognition, mood, and leisure. Devices included screens, Kinect, goggles, and sensors; only four studies reported dizziness, nausea or anxiety, so safety reporting was incomplete.
• PTOTRNCohort2024Emotional Distress in Younger (<55 Years) and Older (≥55) Patients After a First-Time Myocardial Infarction and Its Prospective Associations With Working Status and Secondary Preventive Goals Among the Younger Cohort: Insights From the Swedish SWEDEHEART Registry Study.The Journal of cardiovascular nursingYounger patients after a first MI reported emotional distress more often than older patients. Among younger patients, early emotional distress was linked to less work and poorer achievement of smoking and physical activity goals later, but not cholesterol or blood pressure goals.
• OTRNQualitative2025Perceptions of Frail Older Adults on Contributing Factors Causing the Onset of Crises Leading to Hospital Admissions: A Qualitative Study.Journal of advanced nursingFrail older adults saw a fall, UTI or dizziness as the reason for the emergency department visit, but described months of unaddressed decline, stigma around frailty and delayed help-seeking.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Patients' Experiences of Healthcare Professionals' Competence in Digital Counselling in Healthcare Settings-A Qualitative Systematic Review.Journal of advanced nursingPatients value therapists who master the technology, troubleshoot glitches quickly, and maintain a warm, unhurried connection. They prefer clear, personalized instructions for self-care and dislike feeling rushed or ignored by a professional who is struggling with the video link.
• OTSLPRNSystematic Review2025Oral Health Care: A Systematic Review of Clinical Practice Guidelines.Nursing & health sciencesNine oral-care guidelines support twice-daily fluoride toothpaste, spitting without rinsing after brushing, risk-based dental checks, and assisted mouth care. They do not test patient outcomes, so treat them as practice recommendations.
• OTSurvey2025Description of School Outcomes Among Children With Traumatic Brain Injuries, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Concussion Surveillance System Pilot.The Journal of school healthParents reported 9.9% of children aged 5-17 had a TBI in the past year. Sleep changes, fatigue, concentration trouble, light/noise sensitivity, and learning or memory problems were linked to missing school, extra help, or worse school functioning.
• PTOTRNMeta-Analysis2025Non-Pharmacological Interventions Targeting Sense of Coherence Among Older Adults and Adults With Chronic Conditions: A Meta-Analysis With Trial Sequential Analysis.Journal of advanced nursingNon-drug programmes improved older adults' and chronic disease patients' sense of coherence, their confidence that life is manageable, for up to 3 months. Salutogenic programmes had short-term benefit; self-management was less firm; exercise, cognitive behavioural therapy and nurse-led education did not show stable benefit.
• OTRNSurvey2024Factors affecting return to work in breast cancer survivors in Korea: a cross-sectional study.Women's health nursing (Seoul, Korea)Among Korean breast cancer survivors who had worked before diagnosis, being single, 2 to 5 years after diagnosis, less anxious preoccupation and better quality of working life were linked with returning to work.
• OTRNSurvey2024Network analysis of the relationships between depressive symptoms and social participation activities among Chinese older adults and its implications for nursing.International journal of nursing sciencesAmong 12,043 older Chinese adults, more social participation was linked with fewer depressive symptoms. Housework was an exception: it was positively linked with feeling bothered and sleep problems, so asking about housework burden may matter.
• OTPilot2025Student-Led Falls Prevention Program for Community-Dwelling Older Adults in a Rural Community: A Pilot Study.The Australian journal of rural healthOT students visiting rural older adults found 82.5% were at high fall risk and every participant had at least one home hazard. Most rated the visit valuable, but this pilot cannot show falls were prevented.
• OTRNCase Series2025Morbidity and factors associated with frailty in post-COVID-19 elderly patients attended at a reference center.Revista brasileira de enfermagemPost-COVID-19 elderly survivors were often pre-frail or frail. Among 204, 80 were pre-frail and 31 were frail. Impaired cognition, five or more comorbidities, and trouble with complex daily activities were associated with frailty.
• PTOTRNCase ReportManaging Calciphylaxis: Insights from Real-World Cases at a Tertiary Academic Center.Advances in skin & wound carePeople with suspected calciphylaxis improved after multidisciplinary wound care, including sodium thiosulfate infusions for some. The cases suggest possible responses, not proof that any single treatment caused healing.
• OTRNQualitative2025Social representations of oncologic surgery for patients with cancer.Revista brasileira de enfermagemPatients facing cancer surgery linked fear with hope and cure. They wanted to remove disease, return to normal life, and relied on family, faith, and health team. Ask about these fears and goals when preparing them for surgery.
• PTOTOther2024Recovery after ischemic stroke: Effects of FuekFone home-based program on upper limb and cognitive function.International journal of nursing sciencesIschemic stroke patients at home using a TV game program had improved upper limb and cognitive scores over six weeks, but with no control group, natural recovery cannot be ruled out.
• OTRNQualitative2025The school environment in the experience of children with special health needs: a qualitative study.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PChildren with special health needs valued school for normality and friendship, but symptoms, absences, stigma, and pandemic risk made participation hard. They used pacing, staff support, and self-care to keep going.
• PTOTSLPRNSurvey2025Life Satisfaction and Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors of Individuals According to Exercise Preferences of Outdoor and Indoor.Public health nursing (Boston, Mass.)Adults who exercised both indoors and outdoors reported significantly higher healthy lifestyle behaviors than those who chose only one setting. Life satisfaction did not differ significantly between the groups. Encouraging patients to mix exercise environments may support broader health habits.
• OTRNQualitative2025Perspectives of Older Adults on Self-Care of Chronic Diseases Utilizing Online Health Resources: An Exploratory Descriptive Qualitative Study.Nursing & health sciencesOlder adults in Singapore with chronic diseases trusted doctors, family and friends more than online health information, but were wary of scams and unsure how to judge websites. They wanted guidance to use technology safely.