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 17 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTRNMeta-Analysis2026Effects of Psychosocial Interventions on Loneliness Amongst Long-Term Care Residents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of advanced nursingFace-to-face group activities lasting under eight weeks cut loneliness in long-term care residents. Lifestyle activities like laughter, gardening and exercise worked better than psychological therapies. Virtual visits with family showed no benefit.
• OTOther2026Digital Life Stories Within Residential Aged Care Settings: Implications for Staff Knowledge and Person-Centred Care Practices.Journal of clinical nursingStaff who watched a 3 to 4 minute digital life story of a resident reported better understanding of that resident's history, values and behaviour, and said their interactions and care improved at one month. No control group or resident outcomes were measured.
• OTSurvey2025Shift Work, Sleep, Chronic Fatigue, and Mental Health Among Hotel Workers.Western journal of nursing researchHotel workers who worked more overtime reported more chronic sleep problems overall, but effects differed by job type. Working outside the typical week was linked to more fatigue and more positive PTSD screens.
• PTOTSurvey2025Black-White Differences in Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Deserts: Implications for Unmet Care Needs.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationBlack older adults with care needs reported more adverse consequences overall. White older adults in counties with few community care options also reported more adverse consequences, though the link was not clear after accounting for other factors. Service availability was not linked to Black outcomes.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Parental Goals of Care for Children With Rare Diseases: A Content Analysis of Pediatric Advance Care Planning Conversations.The American journal of hospice & palliative careParents of children with rare diseases prioritized stability and quality of life over longevity or cure. Only 20% wanted a cure, while 87% sought minimal change. Clinicians should ask about daily goals, not just resuscitation status.
• OTCohort2025School Connectedness Boosts Mental Health in Indigenous Adolescents With Adverse Childhood Experiences: Mediation Analysis of a Longitudinal Study in Australia.The Journal of school healthIn Indigenous adolescents, feeling connected to school was linked to both adverse childhood experiences and anxiety/depression, and it appeared to link them in public but not private/Catholic schools. Adverse childhood experiences alone were not directly linked to anxiety/depression.
• OTRNSystematic Review2026Disempowerment Among Adults With Chronic Illness: A Concept Analysis Using the Walker and Avant Method.Journal of advanced nursingDisempowerment among adults with chronic illness meant dissatisfaction when chances to understand, manage, and control daily life shrank. It can arise from illness itself, not only poor care, and may lead to withdrawal, distrust, or refusing care.
• OTQualitative2025Psychosocial Interventions for Families Caring for Mental Health Care Users: A Nominal Group Technique.Journal of psychiatric and mental health nursingStakeholders suggested mental health education, social support and psychological support for families caring for mental health users, including pamphlets, medication guidance, stigma campaigns, police crisis help and home visits. These are proposed priorities, not evidence they work.
• OTRNMeta-Analysis2025Dyadic Interventions for Promoting Healthy Diets in Patients With Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nursing & health sciencesDiet interventions that included an adult patient's informal caregiver lowered sodium and improved short-term self-care, knowledge and support. They did not improve lipids, and many benefits faded over longer follow-up.
• PTOTRNCohort2026How Often Are Hospitalised Children Physically Restrained During Painful and Stressful Procedures?Journal of clinical nursingPhysical restraint was observed in 22.3% of 1210 procedures in stable hospitalised children, rising to 32.9% during painful ones. Restraint clustered on airway suctioning, tube insertion and nasal lavage, and was most likely in infants and children crying or in distress.
• PTOTQualitative2025Men's Perceptions of Non-Cancer Related Lymphoedema: A Qualitative Diary Study.Nursing & health sciencesTwelve men with non-cancer lymphoedema described hiding their condition to avoid stigma and being misread as drunk or weak. They managed daily disruption through strict self-care routines, framing themselves as 'expert patients' to regain control and preserve their masculine identity.
• PTOTRNRCT2025A Cross-Lagged Panel Model Testing the Impact of Physical Activity During Hospitalization on 1- and 6-Month Discharge Physical Activity and Adverse Events Among Older Adults With Dementia.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationOlder adults with dementia who were more physically active at hospital discharge had lower odds of falling and being rehospitalized within one month. Activity levels did not drop after these adverse events occurred, suggesting discharge mobility is a key protective factor.
• PTOTRNOther2026Contextual Factors Affecting Evidence-Based Practice in Orthopaedic Nursing and Rehabilitation: A Mixed Methods Study.Journal of advanced nursingOrthopaedic hip surgery teams described teamwork and supportive leadership, but fast-track care, heavy workload and weekend staffing shortages limited patient communication. Bladder care was frequent yet poorly explained.
• PTOTRNOther2026A Realist Evaluation of the Implementation and Use of Patient-Reported Outcomes in Four Value-Based Healthcare Programmes.Journal of advanced nursingHeart Failure nurses used PROMs to triage and plan resources, but patients did not self-manage or share decisions. In Epilepsy, mood scores identified problems without services to act on them.
• PTOTRNOther2026Safe Mobility in Hospitalised Older Adults: A Concept Analysis.Journal of clinical nursingPromote hospitalised older adults' active movement while reducing severe fall and immobility harms, rather than preventing every fall. This concept analysis defines safe mobility; it does not test patient outcomes.
• OTQualitative2026Function-Focused Care Efficacy in Long-Term Care: A Concept Analysis Using the Hybrid Model.Journal of advanced nursingFunction-focused care in long-term care was defined as the belief that direct care workers can identify remaining abilities, set personal goals, embed support in daily tasks, encourage independence and document change.
• OTSurvey2025Role of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Intersecting Identities on Adolescents' School Engagement in the United States.The Journal of school healthAdolescents with no reported childhood adversities had higher school engagement than those with multiple high-risk adversities. Engagement also varied by gender and race/ethnicity. This survey does not test treatment.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026A Systematic Review of Pain Catastrophizing and Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain.Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management NursesIn adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain, higher pain catastrophizing consistently links to greater pain intensity and disability. It acts as a mediator of treatment effects, meaning reducing it helps relieve pain, but it does not reliably predict who will respond best to physical interventions like exercise.
• PTOTCohort2025Development of Prediction Models for Healthy Ageing in Community-Dwelling Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Longitudinal Study Using Machine Learning.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationOlder adults predicted to age healthily had higher household wealth, younger age, internet use, normal chair-rise speed, physical activity, no pain, high life satisfaction, and no abdominal obesity.
• OTSystematic Review2025Smart Glasses for Older Adults With Cognitive Impairment: A Scoping Review.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationSmart glasses for older adults with cognitive impairment are mostly early prototypes or low-quality studies. Tested glasses had marginal to good usability, but weight, fall fear, distraction, and navigation problems remain concerns.
• PTOTQualitative2026A qualitative exploration of child, caregiver, and clinician perspectives on mental health in children with osteogenesis imperfecta.Journal of child health care : for professionals working with children in the hospital and communityChildren with osteogenesis imperfecta, their caregivers and clinicians described frequent worry about fractures, low mood from functional limits, isolation and stigma. Support and mental health referrals were seen as helpful, but access was often poor.
• PTOTSLPRNQualitative2026Exploring the Healthcare Experiences and Preferences of LGBT+ People: An Online Asynchronous Focus Group Study.Journal of advanced nursingLGBT+ patients described healthcare in Ireland as fragmented and often unsafe, citing misgendering, heteronormative assumptions, and a lack of competent providers. They relied on word-of-mouth to find care, with rural patients feeling particularly excluded from services.
• PTOTRNRCT2025Pulmonary Rehabilitation Exercise Package for Enhancing Health in Elderly COPD Patients With Frailty: An Experimental Study.The journal of nursing research : JNRA 4-week pulmonary rehabilitation package significantly reduced shortness of breath and improved walking distance and leg strength in frail older adults with COPD compared to routine care. It also reduced frailty scores at one month. The intervention included breathing exercises, bed exercises, and education.
• OTQualitative2025Caregivers' Experiences Taking Care of Children and Teenagers With Autism Spectrum Disorders During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Thailand: A Qualitative Approach.Journal of child and adolescent psychiatric nursing : official publication of the Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nurses, IncFifteen Thai caregivers of children and teenagers with autism described lockdowns as followed by social withdrawal, self-stimulation, snacking and screen time. They described taking over developmental and daily-care training and feeling stress. Some relied on local volunteers for medicine and food.
• OTRNCohort2025Skilled Nursing Facility Population Characteristics and Length of Stay: A Prospective Cohort Study.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationResidents dependent in daily activities and those with vascular or surgical devices stayed longer in a skilled nursing facility; dependence in daily activities was the strongest factor tied to longer stays.
• PTOTRNQualitative2025One Chance to Get it Right: Exploring Perspectives and Experiences in Care Home Discharge Decision-Making in the Acute Hospital.International journal of older people nursingOlder people, families and staff described care home discharge decisions as shaped by family support expectations, worst-case risk worries and unclear communication. Admission gave some time to reflect, but chosen care home availability and interim moves limited choices.
• PTOTRNCohort2025Predictors of functional disability in people with ischemic stroke: two to three years after the stroke.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PTwo to three years after ischemic stroke, 37.4% of 155 survivors had moderate to severe disability. High initial neurological deficit, no thrombolysis, and new stroke were the main factors associated.
• OTRNQualitative2026Structural Resilience Across the Life Course: Perspectives From Older Adults Racialized as Black.Journal of advanced nursingOlder adults racialized as Black described community and societal resources such as schools, healthcare, housing, and community groups as safeguarding, empowering, or restoring them across life. Financial support, home modifications, and hospice care were part of these accounts.
• PTOTCohort2025Utilization of Occupational and Physical Therapy Home Health Visits Among People Living With Dementia With Varying Social Determinants of Health.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationPeople living with dementia had OT and PT home health visit counts not associated with race or neighborhood disadvantage. Care partner-reported PT visits differed from agency records. Baseline ADL gaps did not persist at 30 days.
• OTRNOther2025Adverse Social Determinants of Health and Urinary Incontinence Among Older Adult Women in Home Health Care.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationOlder women in home health care with documented unsafe housing, financial strain, or food insecurity were more likely to have urinary incontinence. Ask about these social risks and consider continence evaluation and home modifications.
• PTOTRNOther2025Stigma Towards Hospitalised Older Adults: A Concept Analysis.Nursing openHospitalised older adults face stigma as age-based assumptions, exclusion from decisions, neglected pain care and rehabilitation, and dismissive communication. These practices are associated with withdrawal, poorer recovery, disability and delayed discharge.
• PTOTSLPRNCase Report2025A Composite Dermal Matrix Comprising Ovine Forestomach Matrix and Hyaluronic Acid in the Treatment of Chronic Wounds Secondary to Calciphylaxis: A Case Series and Literature Review.Advances in skin & wound careAll four calciphylaxis wounds closed after a single application of a composite dermal matrix, with mean healing time of 43.5 days. Pain scores dropped to zero in three wounds. This shows what happened to three patients, not that the product works better than other care.
• OTRNSystematic Review2026How Can We Improve Personal Care Interactions to Reduce Care Refusals From People With Dementia? A Realist Synthesis.Journal of advanced nursingPeople with dementia may accept personal care when they trust the caregiver and feel safe. The synthesis proposes strategies like offering limited choices, connecting respectfully, simplifying care, and addressing pain or thirst first. These are proposed theories, not tested interventions.
• PTOTRNCohort2025Frailty, Nutrition, and Quality of Life in Urban-Dwelling Older Adults Facing Vulnerability: Observational Study in Primary Heath Care Settings in Underpopulated Areas.Nursing & health sciencesPoor functional independence and performance were the strongest indicators of vulnerability in older adults in Brazilian primary care, and poor nutrition was also linked. Quality of life was linked to vulnerability but was not analyzed as a predictor.
• OTRNQualitative2026Beyond AIC: An Interpretive Descriptive Qualitative Study of Youth Experiences and Perceptions of Living With Type 2 Diabetes.Journal of advanced nursingYoung people with diabetes described stigma, fear from family complications, and mental health gaps; routines and support were tied to feeling normal.
• OTSLPRNQualitative2026Bridging the Social Gap Through 'Conscious Caring': A Constructivist Grounded Theory of the Art of Caring for Older Adults With Dual Sensory Impairment.Journal of advanced nursingFamily carers of older adults with dual vision and hearing loss described becoming the communication bridge in daily life and health care visits. They said the impairment was often mistaken for normal ageing, leaving them isolated and unsupported by task-focused services.
• OTSLPOther2025Missed Opportunities in Pediatric Feeding Clinic: A Multivariate Analysis.Journal of pediatric health care : official publication of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates & Practitioners30.2% of first scheduled pediatric feeding clinic appointments for children aged 4 or less were missed. Longer scheduling lead time, prior missed visits, marginalized population, and no prescription medication use were associated with nonattendance.
• OTRNSystematic Review2025Journeying Home: Elderly Patients' Experiences and Needs During Hospital Discharge- A Meta-Synthesis.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesOlder patients with several long-term conditions leaving hospital for home wanted understandable, timely discharge information and a role that matched their preference. Some welcomed family advocacy; others felt controlled. Rushed, jargon-filled discharge left them anxious.
• PTOTSLPRNOther2025Lived experiences, depression, and quality of life in Korean women with Parkinson disease after deep brain stimulation: a multimethod study.Women's health nursing (Seoul, Korea)Quality of life and depression did not clearly improve in Korean women with Parkinson disease after deep brain stimulation, although motor symptoms improved. They described pain, visible device changes, battery costs, and fear of shutdown.
• PTOTRNQualitative2026Recovery After Critical Illness: A Meta-Ethnography of Patient, Family and Staff Perspectives.Journal of advanced nursingCritical illness survivors described persistent weakness, pain and dependence that made them feel burdensome. Families struggled to access follow-up rehabilitation and information after discharge. Staff also reported unclear post-discharge care.
• PTOTRNQualitative2025Experiences of severe burn survivors in the hospital-to-home transition.Revista brasileira de enfermagemSevere burn survivors described going home as frightening and unsupported, with uncontrolled pain, scarring, lost work and difficult follow-up. Family, faith and contact with the hospital team helped them adapt.
• OTRNQualitative2026Older Adults' Self-Care and Family Caregiver Contribution in Multiple Chronic Conditions: A Dyadic Qualitative Study.Journal of advanced nursingIn 34 older adult and family caregiver dyads managing multiple chronic conditions, older adults prioritised symptoms that limited daily life, while caregivers prioritised diseases with complications. Self-care roles and decisions often differed.
• PTOTProtocol2025Examining High-Intensity Exercise on Cognitive and Vascular Outcomes in Older Adults Living With HIV-A Research Protocol: Design and Rationale From Two Harmonized Clinical Studies in the Deep South.The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care : JANACThis paper describes the design of two trials testing high-intensity versus continuous exercise in older adults with HIV. No results are reported. It outlines methods for assessing cognitive function, arterial stiffness, and exercise adherence over 12 months.
• PTOTSLPRNCohort2025Family Functioning and Parent Behavioural Changes Post-Admission to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit: A Single-Centre Cohort Study.Nursing in critical careMost families maintained healthy functioning after PICU discharge, but caregiver distress strongly predicted poor outcomes. Nurses should screen for caregiver PTSD and mental illness during follow-up, as these affect family cohesion more than the child's clinical severity.
• OTCohort2025Vulnerability in older adults in Primary Health Care: challenges associated with frailty and functionality.Revista brasileira de enfermagemOlder adults in primary care who needed help with daily activities were more likely to be vulnerable or frail. Mildly dependent people were 2.75 times more likely to be at risk of frailty; fully dependent were 2.65 times more likely to be frail.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Challenges and Perspectives in Treating Individuals With Musculoskeletal Disorders and Comorbidity: A Systematic Literature Review With a Descriptive Thematic Synthesis.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesPhysiotherapists and occupational therapists caring for people with musculoskeletal disorders plus diabetes, obesity or mental health problems said they lacked training to address comorbidities. They also faced limited allied health sessions, scope uncertainty and guilt about ignoring other conditions.
• OTQualitative2025Relational Coordination in Cross-Sector Collaboration: A Theoretical Analysis of Healthcare Professionals' Perspectives Between Mental Health Centres and Municipalities.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesMental health professionals described fragmented discharge care when coordination with municipalities and residential facilities failed. They linked expected post-discharge follow-up that did not happen to users feeling abandoned and being readmitted.
• PTOTRNOther2025Key Areas of Preventive Home Visits and Their Importance for Older Adults: A Scoping Review.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesPreventive home visits for older adults centred on autonomy, trust, tailored advice and information. Older adults valued a regular nurse contact, but some healthy or very ill saw little benefit.
• PTOTRNSurvey2026Validity of Activity-Based Checks (ABCs) of Pain, A Functional Pain Scale.Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management NursesA visual pain scale grouped activities into four areas and agreed with established pain measures. It had moderate stability over two weeks. It may help pain management teams assess how pain limits daily tasks, not how well treatment works.
• OTSystematic Review2026General Dementia Training for the Social Care Workforce: A Systematic Review.Journal of advanced nursingDementia training for social care staff often improved staff knowledge, confidence and attitudes. Evidence that it changed care or improved quality of life for people with dementia was mixed, with too few controlled studies to be sure.