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 15 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTRNSurvey2025Housing characteristics of low and moderate income older adults with and without disabilities.Geriatric nursing (New York, N.Y.)About 32% of low and moderate income older adults with disability had an adverse consequence from unmet care needs. Subsidized housing, renting, apartment or mobile home, and interior disorder were associated with having such consequences.
• PTOTRNCohort2025Examining the Effectiveness and Acceptability of Internet-Delivered Psychological Pain Management for Regional and Rural Australians With Chronic Pain.The Australian journal of rural healthRegional and rural Australians with chronic pain who used a free internet pain course reported improved pain disability, depression and anxiety. Pain intensity also improved. There was no control group.
• PTOTQualitative2025How Is Chronic Pain Managed in Rural Australia? A Qualitative Study Exploring Rural Healthcare Professional and Consumer Experiences.The Australian journal of rural healthRural clinicians and patients described a disconnect: doctors reported following guidelines, but patients rarely recalled education or plans. Instead, patients reported frequent imaging, self-referred manual therapies, and difficulty accessing specialists or telehealth support.
• PTOTQualitative2025Health Professional Perceptions of Delivering Hospital Falls Prevention Education-A Qualitative Study.Western journal of nursing researchHealth professionals supported hospital falls education but said short stays, busy wards, cognitive impairment, risk-taking, and English-only materials made delivery hard. They identified PTs and OTs as most suitable to deliver it.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Trends in the Use of Medicare Home Health Care among Congregate Living Residents.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationMedicare home health episodes in congregate living rose from 10.1% to 12.2% of episodes. These residents had more planned physical, occupational, or speech visits and more referrals without a recent hospital stay, but dual and minoritized patients were less likely to use high-quality agencies.
• OTRNQualitative2025Vulnerability situations of adolescents and young people from rural areas undergoing cancer treatment.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PRural adolescents and young people with cancer described shock and confusion at diagnosis, lost friendships, stopped school, work and leisure, and found travel for treatment exhausting. Distance to care could make them want to stop treatment.
• PTOTRNOther2025Becoming Bedridden and Being Bedridden: Implications for Nursing and Care for Older People in Long-Term Care: A Scoping Review.International journal of older people nursingBedriddenness in older people in long-term care is a gradual loss of mobility, often starting with fear of falls. The review mapped care and prevention themes but found weak definitions and little work on residents' psychosocial needs.
• OTSystematic Review2025Conceptualisation of Mental Health Recovery by Health Professionals and Students in Southeast Asia: A Qualitative Systematic Review and Meta-Aggregation.Journal of psychiatric and mental health nursingSoutheast Asian health professionals and students often understood mental health recovery as symptom control, medication, service access and returning to normal functioning. Some saw participation in daily life as recovery despite residual symptoms.
• OTSystematic Review2025Exploring Oral Health Promotion Among Mental Health Providers: An Integrative Review.International journal of mental health nursingProviders working in mental health often reported limited oral health knowledge, especially about medication effects and systemic links. Oral health practices were inconsistent. Training gaps, time, resources and fragmented dental services were barriers.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025Successful Care Conferences: Nursing Home Staff, Persons with Dementia, and Caregiver Perspectives.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationNursing home staff and families identified three keys to successful virtual care conferences: keeping the resident present and driving the discussion, ensuring direct-care staff like CNAs attend and prepare, and using a trained facilitator to manage the agenda and technology.
• OTQualitative2025Dementia and Cognitive Impairment in the Australian Farming Community. A Preliminary Qualitative Investigation of Healthcare Provider's Perceptions of Risks/Barriers to Care.The Australian journal of rural healthHealthcare workers reported that pride, stoicism and reluctance to ask for help were linked to later diagnosis and care avoidance. Geographic isolation made home care harder, and families often carried the burden. Driving, firearms and machinery added risks to staying on the farm.
• PTOTRNSurvey2025Fear of Falling Avoidance Behavior on Daily Living Activities and Physical Activity in Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.Nursing & health sciencesIn 506 older adults, higher fear-of-falling avoidance was linked with lower independence in basic daily activities and lower physical activity. This was an association, not proof that avoidance causes decline.
• PTOTRNOther2025Implementing an Activity and Mobility Promotion Approach to Improve Patient Mobility.The American journal of nursingHospital-wide mobility documentation and daily goals were feasible on 15 adult units, and observed mobility improved: more patients sat, stood, or walked, and fewer stayed in bed. This is a quality-improvement report, not proof the program caused the change.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Child Development Allied Health Services in Rural and Remote Areas: A Systematic Scoping Review of Drivers, Barriers and Enabling Strategies to Delivery of Services.The Australian journal of rural healthNew rural child development services were created because existing care was inadequate, travel was long, staff were scarce and waits were long. Delivery in schools, homes and local clinics, plus training parents and teachers, was reported most often.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Community Rehabilitation for Rural and Remote Australia: Measuring What Matters Based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF): A Scoping Review.The Australian journal of rural healthRural and remote rehabilitation evaluations used 40 outcome measures across 27 studies, but few were consistent, so the review cannot tell which services work. It maps what has been measured, not evidence of patient benefit.
• OTQualitative2025Supporting Rurally Dwelling Adults With Disabilities: The Experiences of Staff From Two Organisations in Western Australia During the COVID-19 Pandemic.The Australian journal of rural healthDisability support staff in rural Western Australia described pandemic response as forgotten, with unclear rules, PPE shortages and rising workloads. They also reported clients losing routines and community contact, while staff adapted through new safety practices and local collaboration.
• OTCohort2025Consumer-Directed Personal Care in the New York Metropolitan Area: Trends in Use From 2017 to 2022.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationIn one New York Medicaid plan, personal care increasingly was arranged by care recipients or their representatives rather than agencies. The shift grew before 2020 and rose further after pandemic onset, especially among new enrollees.
• PTOTQualitative2025Identifying Patient, Care Partner, and Clinician Needs for Functional Recovery Following Hospitalization When Dementia is Present.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationVeterans with dementia and care partners wanted clearer discharge communication, involvement in decisions, and home support; PTs and OTs needed time, training, equipment, and tools for home rehabilitation.
• PTOTSLPRNRCT2025Examining the impact of identity-safety cues on inclusion for adults with higher body weights in healthcare settings.Patient education and counselingAdults with higher body weights felt safer and more trusting of a hypothetical physician who endorsed a weight-inclusive approach. However, this benefit did not erase the harm of stigmatizing comments; when the physician attributed knee pain to weight, trust dropped sharply despite the inclusive cue.
• PTOTRNCohort2025Changes in Mental and Physical Health Outcomes Following One Day a Week Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation in Regional New South Wales.The Australian journal of rural healthIn regional NSW, patients completing one weekly cardiopulmonary rehab session showed reduced depression, faster sit-to-stand times, and longer walking distances. Waist circumference decreased slightly. Blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation did not change significantly.
• PTOTRNQualitative2025Improving Rehabilitation for People With Type 2 Diabetes: Experiences From a Qualitative Study in a Municipal Setting.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesPeople with type 2 diabetes found it hard to turn rehabilitation advice into daily habits. Staff said vulnerable people were hard to reach, and referrals varied. They wanted flexible sessions, dietitian help, family support and better communication.
• OTOther2025Community Warriors: Development and Validation of a Social and Emotional Well-Being Tool for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Youth.The Australian journal of rural healthNew short self-report and carer-report versions of a strength-based well-being tool for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and youth captured most information from longer versions.
• OTSLPRNProtocol2025Promoting Mealtime Independence and Mealtime Experience for Individuals With Dementia: A Study Protocol.Nursing openNo results are available yet. The pilot plans 20 Spaced Retrieval and Montessori mealtime sessions for nursing home residents with dementia. The planned outcomes are eating difficulties, engagement, and nutrition.
• OTSurvey2025Barriers and Facilitators of Digital Mental Health Use in Regional, Rural, and Remote Australia: A Comparison of Clinician and Consumer Perspectives.The Australian journal of rural healthClinicians and consumers in regional and remote Australia described digital mental health as useful, but motivation, stigma, poor digital confidence and limited knowledge were barriers. Clinician advice and ongoing contact encouraged consumers to use it.
• OTSLPOther2025Allied Health Student-Led Clinics: An Opportunity for Workforce Development.The Australian journal of rural healthA rural general practice allied health student clinic saw 94 clients across 266 appointments. All 75 surveyed clients were likely to return, 72 were very satisfied, and GPs raised concerns about standard care.
• OTRNSystematic Review2025Carers' Understanding of Recovery-Oriented Practice in Mental Health Settings: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis.International journal of mental health nursingCarers understood recovery-oriented mental health care but said services often prioritised symptoms and medication, excluded them from discharge planning and information, and left them feeling unable to support recovery.
• OTQualitative2025Optimising Psychosocial Interventions for People With Severe and Enduring Eating Disorders (SEED) Perspectives of Healthcare Professionals in Ireland: A Qualitative Study.International journal of mental health nursingHealthcare professionals working with severe and enduring eating disorders said care should centre on trust, patient-chosen goals, quality of life, and trauma or autism needs. They saw occupational therapy and social work input as meaningful, but this reports staff views, not patient outcomes.
• OTQualitative2025Photovoice as Pedagogy in a Pacific Setting: Exploring Complexity in Cook Islands Food Environments With Adolescent Learners.The Journal of school healthAdolescents used photos to explain how school meals, shop prices, and home foods shape eating. Teachers described this as helping students, including quiet learners and those with learning needs, take part and share ideas.
• PTOTRNSurvey2025Exploring core symptoms and symptom clusters among patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: A network analysis.International journal of nursing sciencesIn adults with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, pain was the most common and burdensome symptom. Fatigue appeared most tied to other symptoms, and motor symptoms were the most connected cluster. This can help clinicians prioritise symptom assessment and management.
• OTRNQualitative2025Self-Care Experiences of Patients Who Have Recently Undergone Colostomy: A Qualitative Study.Nursing openColostomy patients described physical frailty, shame, sleep and religious difficulty, and dependence on family. They wanted nurses to teach stoma care clearly and provide personalised care.
• OTRNOther2025Nurse-led inpatient education using a gamification approach for patients with mental illness: A quasi-experimental study.International journal of nursing sciencesIn psychiatric inpatients, nurse-led card games were associated with higher knowledge and self-efficacy than booklet teaching, and with higher occupational therapy engagement. Attendance did not change.
• OTRNSurvey2025Mediation Analysis of the Social Isolation Between Stigma and Return-To-Work Readiness Among Young and Middle-Aged Patients With Stroke in China.Nursing openAmong 154 young and middle-aged stroke survivors, higher stigma was linked to more social isolation, and social isolation was linked to lower readiness to return to work. These are associations, not proof that reducing stigma improves work outcomes.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2025Missed Nursing Care in Danish Hospitals: A National Survey.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesNursing staff in Danish hospitals reported that 44% of necessary care elements are occasionally, frequently or always missed. Ambulation, turning, mouth care and emotional support were most often missed, while vital signs and hand hygiene were prioritised. Staff shortages drove these omissions.
• PTOTRNCohort2025Multimorbidity, Muscle Strength, and Falls among Older Mexican Americans.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationAmong older Mexican Americans with no prior falls, high grip strength was linked to fewer falls over 12 years, even with multimorbidity. No multimorbidity was linked to even fewer falls.
• OTRNSurvey2025Development of Priority Outcome Domains for Community Mental Health Research via Consensus Among Multiple Stakeholders: Online Delphi Study in Japan.International journal of mental health nursingCommunity mental health stakeholders in Japan agreed on outcome domains including help-seeking, feeling safe, social connectedness, daily living skills, medication adherence and suicidal ideation. It is a research priority list, not evidence that measuring them improves care.
• PTOTRNSystematic Review2025Driving behavior and driving outcomes after acute and critical illness: A systematic review.International journal of nursing studiesDriving after hospitalization is poorly studied and evidence is mixed. Brake reaction times were often slower, crash findings varied, and many patients self-restricted driving. Ask about driving safety before discharge and plan follow-up assessment.
• OTRNRCT2025"Rebuilding Myself"- An intervention enhancing adaptability of cancer patients to return to work: a feasibility study.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PCancer patients who had not returned to work and received a three-month structured program plus usual care reported better work-return adaptability at 12 weeks than usual care with WeChat follow-up. The study had 30 patients, so this shows feasibility, not proven effectiveness.
• PTOTRNPilot2025Real-Time Fatigue and Physical Activity of Older Adults in Assisted Living: Feasibility of Ecological Momentary Assessment.Western journal of nursing researchReal-time monitoring of fatigue and movement worked in assisted living residents. For wheelchair users, activity was linked to higher fatigue shortly after, but for walkers, there was no link. This is a small pilot, so treat these findings as preliminary.
• OTRNMeta-Analysis2025Case Management for Enhancing Wellbeing, Resilience, and Quality of Life in Caregivers of Children and Adolescents With Chronic Illnesses and Disabilities: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nursing & health sciencesCase management for parents and carers of children with chronic illness or disability produced small improvements in caregiver wellbeing, less distress, and better satisfaction with services. Nurses and occupational therapists may add structured care coordination to family support.
• PTOTRNMeta-Analysis2025Effectiveness of Nurse-Led Early Mobility Protocols on the Outcomes of Critical Care Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nursing openNurse-led early mobility protocols shortened ICU stay by 1.8 days and hospital stay by 2.6 days, but did not improve mobility, body function, muscle strength or mortality.
• PTOTSLPRNSystematic Review2025Care provided by humanoid robots: a scoping review.Investigacion y educacion en enfermeriaHumanoid robots in healthcare were used mainly for social interaction, with some physical rehabilitation support and health information. This review mapped how they were used, not whether they improved patient outcomes.
• PTOTRNQualitative2025Experiences and challenges of family caregivers of people with lower limb amputation: a qualitative study.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PFamily caregivers of people with major lower limb amputation described exhaustion, fear of falls, and poor preparation for stump care and transfers. They wanted practical home training, clear discharge information, and ongoing phone or visit support.
• PTOTRNSystematic Review2025Interprofessional Collaborations on Interventions for People With Loneliness: A Scoping Review.Nursing openTeam-based loneliness programmes used home visits, phone calls, digital groups and art sessions. Several studies reported lower loneliness, but collaboration details were unclear and many were not controlled trials.
• OTRNQualitative2025Value-Based Experiences Related to Digital Follow-Up Services Among Critical Care Survivors: An International Qualitative Study.Nursing & health sciencesICU survivors wanted tailored digital follow-up that gives trusted information, contact with professionals, peer support and simple accessible tools. They also described feeling powerless and needing help returning to work, family life and memory tasks.
• PTOTRNMeta-Analysis2025The Effects of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise on Depression and Anxiety: Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis.International journal of mental health nursingPrescribed aerobic, resistance, or mixed exercise reduced depression and anxiety symptoms in adults with diagnosed conditions compared to usual care. Effects were large for depression and moderate for anxiety. The specific type of exercise did not change the benefit for depression.
• PTOTRNSystematic Review2025Symptom Experience After Surgical Treatment for Vulvar Cancer-A Scoping Review.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesWomen after vulvar cancer surgery described lymphedema, pain, fatigue, urinary and sexual changes, and loneliness. Symptoms varied widely, and many said they lacked clear information after surgery. This maps symptoms, not treatment effects.
• OTCohort2025Care needs and factors reducing caregiver burden for children with special health care needs in out-of-home care in Japan: An observational study.Japan journal of nursing science : JJNSChildren in Japanese infant homes with special healthcare needs required more weekly care time for feeding, sleep and bathing. Over six months, care time increased, so a short stay may not reduce the burden they bring home.
• OTOther2025Has Increased Medicaid Spending on Home- and Community-Based Services Reduced Unmet Needs in Activities of Daily Living Care among Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Dementia? Evidence from 2008 to 2020.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationPutting a larger share of Medicaid long-term care dollars into home and community services was associated with fewer unmet ADL care needs in older adults with dementia. Total spending did not show the same link. This is state spending data, not a therapy trial.
• PTOTSLPRNCohort2025Association Between Residents' Perceived Importance of Family Involvement in Overall Care Planning and Rehabilitative Therapy Administration in Nursing Homes.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationNursing home residents who rated family involvement as very important received more physical and occupational therapy minutes than those who did not. The difference was small, averaging 5 fewer minutes for those rating it somewhat important.
• OTRNSurvey2025The Relationship Between Learning Needs and Care Dependency in Individuals With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesCOPD patients showed partial dependence in daily activities and frequent inhaler errors. Medication learning needs were more important than met. Fulfilled learning needs were weakly associated with greater independence, not proof meeting learning needs reduces dependency.