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 24 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTRCT2016Work Incapacity and Treatment Costs After Severe Accidents: Standard Versus Intensive Case Management in a 6-Year Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of occupational rehabilitationIntensive case management did not reduce average loss of work capacity over 6 years after severe accidents compared with standard case management. It was associated with higher treatment costs and more involved care providers.
• PTOTCohort2016The progression of disability among older adults in Mexico.Disability and rehabilitationIn older Mexican adults, disability progression differed by gender. Men followed the expected pattern of mobility, then IADL, then ADL decline. Women showed a reversed pattern, with ADL difficulties appearing before IADL difficulties. Social support was linked to higher disability in women, not men.
• OTOther2016Process evaluation of the Restore4stroke Self-Management intervention 'Plan Ahead!': a stroke-specific self-management intervention.Clinical rehabilitationStroke patients, partners and therapists liked Plan Ahead, but only some attended every session and therapists applied the action-planning tool incompletely in some sessions. It shows implementation needs more training and recruitment clarity, not that the intervention improves outcomes.
• OTOther2016Return-to-Work Within a Complex and Dynamic Organizational Work Disability System.Journal of occupational rehabilitationSimulated company policies did not behave as intended. Higher bonuses had lower return-to-work likelihood and preparedness than no or reduced bonuses. Light duty increased early likelihood, but not preparedness.
• OTRCT2016Training in client-centeredness enhances occupational therapist documentation on goal setting and client participation in goal setting in the medical records of people with stroke.Clinical rehabilitationRecords from the intervention group, where therapists were invited to client-centred training, documented goal setting and client participation more often than usual-care records. Usual-care records documented family and emotional support more often.
• PTOTSLPRCT2017Early home-supported discharge for patients with stroke in Portugal: a randomised controlled trial.Clinical rehabilitationEarly home-supported discharge did not improve functional independence scores compared to usual care. However, fewer patients in the home-supported group had severe disability (FIM < 60) at six months, suggesting a potential benefit for the most impaired patients that requires further study.
• PTOTSLPCohort2017Long-Term School Outcomes of Children and Adolescents With Traumatic Brain Injury.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationChildren with severe TBI need school support services immediately. Those with mild or moderate injuries often appear fine at two years but require comparable support by six years post-injury. Monitor academic performance long-term, not just at discharge.
• PTOTRCT2017Return to Work in Patients with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: Multidisciplinary Intervention Versus Brief Intervention: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Journal of occupational rehabilitationA comprehensive multidisciplinary intervention did not increase full return to work at 12 or 24 months compared to a brief intervention. However, patients in the multidisciplinary group returned to partial work significantly faster during the first seven months.
• OTRCT2017Feasibility and usability of a wearable orthotic for stroke survivors with hand impairment.Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technologyStroke survivors found a vibrating wristband prototype close to satisfactory but wanted it cheaper, easier to put on, waterproof, and proof that it helps hand function over time.
• OTSLPCohort2017Genetic Variation in the Vesicular Monoamine Transporter: Preliminary Associations With Cognitive Outcomes After Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationA VMAT2 gene variant was linked to worse cognitive performance after severe TBI. The link was not seen at the later follow-up. This is an association in a small group, not proof that the variant causes impairment.
• PTOTSLPOther2017Comparison of differences in respiratory function and pressure as a predominant abnormal movement of children with cerebral palsy.Journal of physical therapy scienceChildren with ataxic cerebral palsy had the lowest lung capacity and inspiratory strength, while those with spastic type had the highest. Dyskinetic type fell in between. Assessing respiratory function is necessary because these differences depend on the specific movement disorder.
• OTRCT2017Process Evaluation of a Participatory Supportive Return to Work Program for Workers Without a Permanent Employment Contract, Sick-Listed Due to a Common Mental Disorder.Journal of occupational rehabilitationOnly 36 of 94 randomized workers started the return-to-work program. While most steps were completed, fidelity was low due to delays, and only two workers secured suitable competitive jobs.
• OTRCT2016Process Evaluation of a Workplace Integrated Care Intervention for Workers with Rheumatoid Arthritis.Journal of occupational rehabilitationThe workplace part of a programme for workers with rheumatoid arthritis was delivered more successfully than integrated care, but patients were satisfied.
• OTQualitative2016Socially constructed 'value' and vocational experiences following neurological injury.Disability and rehabilitationFour people with acquired neurological injury described work value as judged by employers, not by skill alone. Disability could be a qualification, a hidden burden, or a disqualification. Their accounts describe how worker identity can narrow job choices.
• PTOTCohort2016Predictors of Altered Upper Extremity Function During the First Year After Breast Cancer Treatment.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationAt 12 months, 16.6% of women had a shoulder abduction restriction of at least 20 degrees on the affected side compared with the unaffected side. Poorer preoperative shoulder motion predicted poorer one-month motion, so screening before surgery may identify higher risk.
• PTOTRCT2016Skilled Bimanual Training Drives Motor Cortex Plasticity in Children With Unilateral Cerebral Palsy.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairIn children with unilateral cerebral palsy, 90 hours of structured bimanual skill training enlarged hand movement areas in the brain and strengthened muscle responses to brain stimulation. Unstructured play did not. Both groups improved hand function similarly.
• PTOTRCT2017Experiences of Participants in a Self-Management Program for Employees with Complaints of the Arm, Neck or Shoulder (CANS): A Mixed Methods Study.Journal of occupational rehabilitationEmployees with arm, neck or shoulder complaints described a self-management program as helpful mainly for awareness, coping and action plans. Some wanted more physical guidance; eHealth use varied. This is experience, not proof it works.
• OTOther2017Movement quality of conventional prostheses and the DEKA Arm during everyday tasks.Prosthetics and orthotics internationalThe DEKA Arm did not consistently improve movement quality in 3 prosthesis users compared with conventional prostheses. Some moved faster and smoother, others moved slower and less smooth. All still moved worse than controls.
• PTOTPilot2017H-GRASP: the feasibility of an upper limb home exercise program monitored by phone for individuals post stroke.Disability and rehabilitationIn 6 of 8 people post stroke who finished a home arm exercise program with weekly phone calls, arm function, use, strength and self-perceived performance improved. Retention and adherence were below target, and no control group limits interpretation.
• OTQualitative2017Women with Neck Pain on Long-Term Sick Leave-Approaches Used in the Return to Work Process: A Qualitative Study.Journal of occupational rehabilitationWomen with neck pain on long-term sick leave described alternating work and leave to cope. Some used this as a strategy; others did it because stakeholders decided, leaving them little control.
• PTOTSLPCohort2016Association Between Facility Type During Pediatric Inpatient Rehabilitation and Functional Outcomes.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationChildren treated at children’s hospital rehabilitation units had shorter stays and gained function faster than those at other facilities. After adjusting for illness severity, they ended with only 2.3 more cognitive points. This difference is likely too small to matter clinically.
• PTOTSLPOther2016Biglycan Inhibits Capsaicin-Induced Substance P Release by Cultured Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurons.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationBiglycan reduced substance P release by 29% in cultured rabbit nerve cells exposed to capsaicin. This suggests biglycan may modulate pain signaling in vitro, but it provides no evidence that injecting biglycan relieves back pain in humans.
• PTOTOther2016Rehabilitation Needs of Stroke Survivors After Discharge From Hospital in India.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationStroke survivors and caregivers in Chennai reported substantial rehabilitation needs, especially information about stroke and services and financial support. They faced few affordable services, long travel, and little awareness of warning signs.
• PTOTCohort2016Active Lifestyle Is Associated With Reduced Dyspnea and Greater Life Satisfaction in Spinal Cord Injury.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationPlanned exercise was associated with less reported breathlessness in people with spinal cord injury. More time away from home and organized sports were linked with greater life satisfaction, but planned exercise alone was not.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2017Analysis of mechanical properties of cervical muscles in patients with cervicogenic headache.Journal of physical therapy sciencePatients with cervicogenic headache showed significantly higher muscle tone and stiffness in the suboccipital and upper trapezius muscles compared to healthy controls. Elasticity did not differ between the groups.
• OTRCT2017One Year Effects of a Workplace Integrated Care Intervention for Workers with Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of occupational rehabilitationAdding integrated care and workplace interventions to usual rheumatologist-led care did not reduce at-work productivity loss, pain, fatigue, or improve quality of life in workers with rheumatoid arthritis after 12 months. The study population may have been too stable to show benefit.
• PTOTRCT2017A low cost virtual reality system for home based rehabilitation of the arm following stroke: a randomised controlled feasibility trial.Clinical rehabilitationThe home glove system, with usual care, therapist setup and support, did not significantly improve the primary arm function test after eight weeks. Recruitment was so low that a definitive trial would need many more participants, and the system required substantial therapist support.
• PTOTOther2017Effects of gross motor function and manual function levels on performance-based ADL motor skills of children with spastic cerebral palsy.Journal of physical therapy scienceChildren with mild to moderate spastic cerebral palsy classified at GMFCS or MACS Level III had lower ADL motor skill scores on real tasks than Level I children, especially during dressing, shoe donning, and cereal preparation.
• PTOTOther2017Functional state of knee arthritis patients and related factors.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 135 hospitalized patients with knee arthritis, physical and mental quality-of-life scores varied with age, pain, BMI, knee function, and range of motion.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2017Effectiveness of massage therapy on the range of motion of the shoulder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of physical therapy scienceMassage therapy, sometimes combined with hot pack, physical therapy, or exercise, increased shoulder flexion and abduction by pooled differences of 18.21 and 22.07. The pooled differences for extension, internal rotation, and external rotation were 6.29, 10.10, and 9.54. Evidence was low quality.
• OTOther2017Cognitive basis about risk level classifications for the self-assessment of older drivers.Journal of physical therapy scienceOlder drivers who self-rated as stop had slower switching on a cognitive test and lower overall cognitive scores than safe or caution groups. The study compared cognitive scores, not accident outcomes.
• OTSLPSurvey2016Diagnosis lost: Differences between children who had and who currently have an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis.Autism : the international journal of research and practice13.1% of school-aged children ever diagnosed with ASD no longer had the diagnosis. Parents most often said new information changed it, while 21.0% said treatment or maturation.
• PTOTCohort2016Quantifying Change During Outpatient Stroke Rehabilitation: A Retrospective Regression Analysis.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationAverage monthly gains in outpatient stroke rehabilitation were small: about 1.8 Berg Balance Scale points, 2 arm test points, and 0.09 m/s walking speed. Later start and prior inpatient rehab were linked to lower admission scores. Younger, earlier starters had faster arm and walking gains.
• PTOTSLPCohort2017Therapeutic Work as a Facilitator for Return to Paid Work in Cancer Survivors.Journal of occupational rehabilitationCancer survivors in therapeutic work were much more likely to return to paid work after one year than those not in such work. However, this association was strongest in survivors who still held an employment contract, suggesting access to support, not just the work itself, drives the outcome.
• OTOther2017Stability of stereognosis after pediatric repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and constraint-induced movement therapy clinical trial.Developmental neurorehabilitationIn 10 children with hemiparesis who had poor touch recognition by hand, most improved after combined rTMS and CIMT, but gains varied and some were lost at follow-up. This small follow-up cannot show which treatment caused change.
• PTOTSurvey2017Safety and walking ability of KAFO users with the C-Brace® Orthotronic Mobility System, a new microprocessor stance and swing control orthosis.Prosthetics and orthotics internationalThirteen knee orthosis users reported a microprocessor knee orthosis, given with fitting and training, was easier and safer than previous orthoses for many daily activities, especially mobility, stairs, ramps and uneven ground. Dressing and hygiene did not improve.
• OTPilot2017Effects on sitting pressure distribution during the application of different cushions and anterior height wedges.Journal of physical therapy scienceFor healthy young adults, a 5-cm foam cushion produced the lowest sitting pressure, outperforming gel cushions and anterior wedges. Adding a wedge to a cushion did not lower pressure further. Assessing posture is essential before recommending cushions or wedges for pressure redistribution.
• PTOTSLPCohort2016Early gross motor skills predict the subsequent development of language in children with autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchIn children with autism, later walking onset predicted slower language growth, but this link vanished once general motor ability and nonverbal IQ were accounted for. Overall gross motor skills remained a significant predictor of language development.
• PTOTOther2016Comparing Comorbidity Indices to Predict Post-Acute Rehabilitation Outcomes in Older Adults.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationFive standard comorbidity indices added almost no predictive value for discharge function or community return in older rehab patients. Admission functional status and demographics explained most variance, suggesting clinicians should prioritize current ability over diagnosis lists.
• PTOTCohort2016Objective and Self-Reported Physical Activity Measures and Their Association With Depression and Satisfaction With Life in Persons With Spinal Cord Injury.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationPeople with spinal cord injury who pushed their wheelchairs farther reported fewer depressive symptoms. However, time spent in leisure activities predicted life satisfaction, not general wheelchair distance. This suggests targeting specific meaningful activities for well-being, while overall movement helps mood.
• OTOther2017Sensory and repetitive behaviors among children with autism spectrum disorder at home.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceIn children's homes, negative reactions to sounds, sights and touch clustered in care routines and family-initiated tasks. Sensory seeking clustered in free play and child-led moments. Repetitive behavior looked similar but was not confirmed, and hyporesponsive behavior was too rare.
• OTSLPCohort2017Race, disability, and grade: Social relationships in children with autism spectrum disorders.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceChildren with autism received fewer friendship nominations than their typical peers, especially in upper grades. African American and Latino children with autism in grades 3–5 faced the sharpest drop in social integration and friendships compared to White typical peers in lower grades.
• OTQualitative2017'I Know it was Every Week, but I Can't be Sure if it was Every Day: Domestic Violence and Women with Learning Disabilities.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDWomen with mild learning disabilities described severe, ongoing partner abuse that often continued after leaving. Many felt unsupported by services, yet most later reported improved lives once free.
• PTOTQualitative2017Negotiating identity and self-image: perceptions of falls in ambulatory individuals with spinal cord injury - a qualitative study.Clinical rehabilitationAmbulatory people with chronic traumatic spinal cord injury described walking as central to feeling normal. They minimized fall risk through planning, aids and training, but often accepted or exceeded risk to preserve identity, valued activities and daily life.
• PTOTCohort2016Correlation of Fractional Anisotropy With Motor Recovery in Patients With Stroke After Postacute Rehabilitation.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationIn 43 stroke patients after early inpatient rehab, a brain scan measure of corticospinal tract integrity was higher in those with better motor gains. It was linked to gains in good and moderate recovery groups, not poor recovery.
• OTPilot2016Quantitative Evaluation of Passive Muscle Stiffness in Chronic Stroke.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationPassive elbow resistance after stroke was not matched by biceps stiffness in all subjects. Some had high joint resistance with little measured stiffness, and stiffness varied widely.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2016Functioning and disability in autism spectrum disorder: A worldwide survey of experts.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchExperts worldwide most often named brain structure, voluntary movement control and higher cognitive functions as central to ASD functioning. They also reported strengths and gender differences. This survey informs assessment categories, not tested interventions.
• PTOTCohort2016Inpatient Walking Activity to Predict Readmission in Older Adults.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationIn older inpatients, lower average daily hospital steps were associated with higher 30-day readmission risk. This observational finding does not prove that increasing walking would reduce readmissions.
• OTCohort2016COMT and ANKK1 Genetics Interact With Depression to Influence Behavior Following Severe TBI: An Initial Assessment.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairGenetic variations in dopamine processing did not predict behavior problems after severe TBI on their own. However, among patients with post-TBI depression, those with specific gene combinations reported significantly more behavioral issues at 12 months post-injury.
• PTOTCase Report2016Engaging Cervical Spinal Cord Networks to Reenable Volitional Control of Hand Function in Tetraplegic Patients.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairTwo people with chronic cervical spinal cord injury showed greater grip force and hand control during cervical epidural stimulation, and over repeated sessions. This is not evidence the stimulation works for other patients.