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 3 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTRNPilot2018Pilot Study to Describe the Trajectory of Symptoms and Adaptive Strategies of Adults Living with Low-grade Glioma.Seminars in oncology nursingOver 6 months, quality of life, distress and depression did not change in 15 adults with low-grade glioma, but fatigue improved and patients reported using community support, pacing, memory cues and driving help.
• PTOTRNSystematic Review2019Lived experiences and quality of life after gynaecological cancer-An integrative review.Journal of clinical nursingNordic gynaecological cancer survivors described lasting bowel, bladder, sexual, fatigue and body-image problems, plus fear of recurrence. Follow-up focused on recurrence left unmet needs; nurse-led, person-centred dialogue and education were suggested.
• PTOTSLPRNRCT2019Three Nurse-administered Protocols Reduce Nutritional Decline and Frailty in Older Gastrointestinal Surgery Patients: A Cluster Randomized Trial.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationNurse-led protocols for early mobilization, oral care, and orientation reduced weight loss and prevented new frailty in older gastrointestinal surgery patients. The intervention required about 58 minutes of nursing time per day. Family members were coached to assist with daily activities.
• OTRNSurvey2019Impact of health-related stigma on psychosocial functioning in the general population: Construct validity and Swedish reference data for the Stigma-related Social Problems scale (SSP).Research in nursing & healthA brief questionnaire about stigma-related distress and avoidance produced consistent scores and lined up with social functioning measures in 3,422 Swedish adults. Scores can help clinicians spot people whose health condition limits social life, especially older adults and those on sick leave.
• PTOTRNMeta-Analysis2018Cupping therapy and chronic back pain: systematic review and meta-analysis.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemCupping therapy reduced pain more than control in adults with chronic back pain, but the trials varied in how cupping was applied and most did not describe good blinding. The benefit is not enough to support a standard cupping protocol.
• OTCohort2019Impairments in Individual Autonomous Living Tasks and Time to Self-Care Disability in Middle-Aged and Older Adults.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationIn middle-aged and older adults, difficulty shopping and preparing hot meals had the strongest links to later needing help with basic self-care. Difficulty using a map had the weakest links.
• OTRNOther2018Frailty syndrome among elderly and associated factors: comparison of two cities.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemAmong 480 older adults, frailty was higher in Ribeirão Preto than João Pessoa and linked to older age, less schooling, more diseases, cognitive deficit, poorer daily function and more depressive symptoms. These are associations, not proof of cause.
• OTRNOther2019Beneficial effect of laughter therapy on physiological and psychological function in elders.Nursing openIn 17 older adults attending day care, four weekly professional stand-up comedy sessions were followed by lower systolic blood pressure and heart rate, lower depression scores, and better family-rated motivation for activity. It was uncontrolled, so comedy itself was not proven.
• OTSLPRNQualitative2019Working together to learn new oral hygiene techniques: Pilot of a carepartner-assisted intervention for persons with cognitive impairment.Geriatric nursing (New York, N.Y.)People with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia and their carepartners described learning new oral hygiene as frustrating and unfamiliar. They reported brushing together, writing goals on the mirror, and putting floss in sight.
• PTOTCohort2019Rehabilitation Providers' Prediction of the Likely Success of the SNF-to-Home Transition Differs by Discipline.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationOccupational and physical therapists’ concerns about a patient’s ability to live independently after skilled nursing facility discharge were linked with failed return home. Medical providers’ and social workers’ concerns were not linked. Treat therapist predictions as a possible warning sign, not proof.
• OTOther2019Validation of a New Clinical Tool for Post-Intensive Care Syndrome.American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care NursesThe HABC-M SR self-report tracked psychological and functional symptoms in ICU survivors, but its cognitive subscale did not consistently match formal cognitive testing. Use it to flag symptoms, not to clear cognition.
• PTOTSLPRNSystematic Review2019The Effectiveness of Function-Focused Care Interventions in Nursing Homes: A Systematic Review.The journal of nursing research : JNRFunction-focused care in nursing homes improved physical, psychosocial, and cognitive outcomes for most residents. The review could not determine which specific intervention method worked best or whether integrated or dedicated care processes were superior.
• PTOTSurvey2019The Association Between Yoga Use, Physical Function, and Employment in Adults With Rheumatoid Arthritis.Holistic nursing practiceAdults with rheumatoid arthritis who practiced yoga were more likely to work full-time and had better self-reported physical function than those who did not. Once age and education were taken into account, pain, fatigue, depression and sleep did not differ. These are associations, not proof.
• PTOTRNMeta-Analysis2019Frail Phenotype and Disability Prediction in Community-Dwelling Older People: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies.The journal of nursing research : JNRFrail community-dwelling older adults had a 5.37-fold higher risk of disability in basic daily tasks and a 3.87-fold higher risk in more complex daily tasks than robust peers. Those at risk also had a 1.84-fold higher risk than robust peers.
• PTOTCohort2019Predictive Capacity of Frailty Phenotype Toward Patterns of Disability Identified Using Latent Class Analysis.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationFrailty screening missed many older adults who later developed disability patterns. When it flagged someone, that person often did decline. It was not good at catching most people who declined.
• OTQualitative2019"Sleeping in a boundary" constructing the meaning of health in a refugee camp.Health care for women internationalKaren refugee women described health as being able to work, provide for family, enable schooling, and feel safe. Their accounts link health to daily roles and camp conditions rather than to a tested treatment.
• PTOTQualitative2019Dismissing chronic illness: A qualitative analysis of negative health care experiences.Health care for women internationalMany people with ME/CFS described health care professionals dismissing their symptoms, attributing them to depression or anxiety, or pushing exercise after symptoms worsened. Clinicians should listen to symptom reports and avoid forcing activity.
• PTOTRNSystematic Review2019Effect of exergaming on health-related quality of life in older adults: A systematic review.International journal of nursing studiesExergaming did not consistently improve health-related quality of life in older adults. Most trials found no clear benefit, and the positive results were short-term and tied to supervised center-based sessions with high adherence.
• PTOTRNSystematic Review2019A systematic mixed methods review: Recovering from a hip fracture in a health promoting perspective.Nursing openOlder adults recovering at home after hip fracture described recovery as a battle for independence. Support that strengthens their sense of control and motivation may matter more than exercise alone.
• OTSLPRNQualitative2019A qualitative study of experiences of health and social care in home mechanical ventilation.Nursing openPatients and family carers said home ventilation itself did not make life manageable. They valued reliable home teams but described fragmented services, fights for equipment, and exhausted family carers.
• OTQualitative2019Implementing active care through (cultural) activities of daily living: A person-centred approach to achieve flourishing.Nursing openCarers described cultural activities as bringing joy, closer relationships, and repeated engagement. Their narratives did not measure patient outcomes, so this reports staff experience, not evidence that activities improve health.
• OTRNQualitative2019Hospital meals are existential asylums to hospitalized people with a neurological disease: A phenomenological-hermeneutical explorative study of the meaningfulness of mealtimes.Nursing openNeurological inpatients described hospital mealtimes as lonely, chaotic, and often mechanical. They said calm, unhurried service, eye contact, and simple conversation with nurses made meals feel human, safe, and connected to life outside the ward.
• PTOTRNCohort2019Incidence and risk of falls in patients treated for hematologic malignancies in the Intensive Hematology Unit.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemOnly 2 falls occurred among 101 adults hospitalized for blood cancers over 1.5 years, yet 29.7% were high fall risk at admission and 40.6% mid-stay. Dizziness at admission was the only assessed factor associated with falls.
• PTOTRNCohort2019Genotype, resilience and function and physical activity post hip fracture.International journal of orthopaedic and trauma nursingAt two months after hip fracture, resilience was associated with genetic variation and social activity, and with better function and more exercise. The study cannot show cause.
• PTOTRNSurvey2019Impact of Diabetes on the Symptoms of Breast Cancer Survivors.Oncology nursing forumBreast cancer survivors who also had diabetes reported worse physical function, attention function, sleep disturbance and fatigue. Depression, anxiety, sexual function and peripheral neuropathy did not differ. This does not prove diabetes caused the symptoms.
• PTOTRNPilot2019Exploring the Adaptability of Tai Chi to Stroke Rehabilitation.Rehabilitation nursing : the official journal of the Association of Rehabilitation NursesCommunity stroke survivors in a 12-month adapted group program attended 72% of classes, had no intervention-related falls or adverse events, and reported better balance, flexibility, and confidence. The program included many components, so the contribution of any single component cannot be separated.
• OTRNOther2019The use of the concept of transition in different disciplines within health and social welfare: An integrative literature review.Nursing openAcross 350 health and welfare papers, the concept of transition described health-illness and situational changes, not tested patient outcomes. Nursing studies often viewed transitions from the professional's perspective; occupational therapy focused more on daily life, and social work on the person's perspective.
• PTOTRNOther2019Analysis of two questionnaires on quality of life of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease patients.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemA short COPD quality-of-life questionnaire (CAT) matched the longer SGRQ in hospitalized exacerbations and caught cough and sputum more clearly. It can be used for patient assessment, but it does not show better outcomes.
• OTRNPilot2019A Nurse-Led Cognitive Training Intervention for Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes.Research in gerontological nursingAdults with type 2 diabetes and perceived cognitive problems reported better diet, perceived memory, and perceived executive function after four nurse-led classes plus online BrainHQ training. No control group, so gains cannot be separated from time, expectations, or either component.
• PTOTRNSystematic Review2019Effects of weight-lifting or resistance exercise on breast cancer-related lymphedema: A systematic review.International journal of nursing sciencesResistance exercise did not increase arm swelling in women with or at risk of breast cancer-related lymphedema. While some studies showed reduced volume, others found no difference. Exercise is safe to perform but should not replace standard lymphedema care.
• OTRNOther2019Health-related quality of life and related factors among a sample of older people with cognitive impairment.Nursing openOlder adults with mild cognitive impairment self-reported quality of life close to reference values for a general Swedish geriatric population. Low physical quality of life was linked to dependence in daily activities, pain and informal care; low mental quality of life was linked to loneliness.
• OTSurvey2019Comparison of Pain-Related and Psychological Variables between Acute and Chronic Migraine Patients, and Factors Affecting Headache Chronicity.International journal of community based nursing and midwiferyAmong 170 chronic and 80 acute migraine patients, chronic migraine was linked with longer headache duration, severe disability, depression and anger, while pain intensity was similar.
• OTSurvey2019Characteristics of care methods for daily life disabilities in Alzheimer's type dementia that respect autonomy and independence.Nursing openExperienced dementia care practitioners rated autonomy-preserving ADL care as beneficial by Alzheimer's severity. Mild: simplified necessities and next-step verbal prompts. Moderate: verbal task opportunities, visual marks, environment arranged together. Severe: step-by-step demonstration, preventing non-starts, slowly confirming intention.
• OTRNCohort2019Toileting difficulties in older people with and without dementia receiving formal in-home care-A longitudinal study.Nursing openOlder people receiving formal in-home care had more toileting difficulties over 36 months. Baseline dementia was associated with more than twofold higher toileting difficulties at the last assessment, and later nursing home admission with more than ten times higher toileting difficulties.
• OTSurvey2019Patient participation in municipal elderly care from the perspective of nurses and occupational therapists.Nursing openNurses and occupational therapists in Swedish elderly care described patient participation as ranging from making patients comply to handing them power. Seventy-nine per cent worked with it daily, but 56 per cent had not read the Patient Act.
• OTQualitative2019Safety for older adults using telecare: Perceptions of homecare professionals.Nursing openHomecare staff perceived telecare as helping keep older adults safer. They described smoke detectors, GPS alarms, COPD portals and medicine dispensers preventing harm, but also feared devices failing or confusing people with dementia.
• PTOTRNQualitative2019The meaning of dignity when the patients' bodies are falling apart.Nursing openAdvanced cancer patients at end of life described uncontrollable bodily changes as threatening dignity and identity. They linked movement, grooming, rituals, and meaningful activities to feeling alive and preserving dignity.
• OTRNQualitative2019Effects of horticultural therapy: Perspectives of frail and pre-frail older nursing home residents.Nursing openFrail nursing home residents described weekly horticultural therapy as a pleasant, meaningful pastime that they said made them happier and gave them conversation. Few staff talked about it outside sessions, and one disliked it for disrupting routines.
• PTOTRNQualitative2019Wishes and needs of older persons who have experienced a fall: A qualitative study.Nursing openOlder people after a fall wanted to keep doing meaningful activities, stay independent, and have social contact. They valued Falls Clinic and physiotherapist contact, while some men denied needing help.
• OTRNCohort2019Fatigue in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiation therapy: a prospective study.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemFatigue scores rose from baseline to mid and end of radiation therapy in 60 head and neck cancer patients. The increase included behavioural, affective and sensory/psychological domains. Screen for fatigue throughout treatment, not only at diagnosis.
• PTOTSurvey2020Health-care use and information needs of children with neonatal brachial plexus palsy: A cross-sectional survey among 465 Dutch patients.Journal of child health care : for professionals working with children in the hospital and communityFamilies of 465 children with neonatal brachial plexus palsy reported ongoing health-care use and information needs, even after discharge. Physical therapists were the most contacted professionals, and 84 had received contradictory information.
• PTOTSLPRNCohort2020Childhood Trauma Predicts Cancer Treatment-Related Pain in Breast Cancer Survivors.Cancer nursingWomen who experienced childhood trauma without confiding in others reported significantly higher pain severity and interference 12 months after breast cancer surgery. However, trauma history did not predict neuropathic symptom severity once other factors were included.
• OTCohort2019Sociodemographic Factors and Characteristics of Caregivers as Determinants of Skilled Nursing Facility Admissions When Modeled Jointly With Functional Limitations.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationIn older Medicare adults, each one-point worsening on a 7 to 28 function scale was associated with 26% higher likelihood of skilled nursing facility admission. Living alone, low education, and more caregivers also raised risk.
• PTOTSLPRNCohort2019Morning Fatigue Severity Profiles in Oncology Outpatients Receiving Chemotherapy.Cancer nursingHalf of chemotherapy outpatients had severe morning fatigue. Those in the worst group were younger, had higher BMI and more comorbidities, and reported worse anxiety, sleep, and attention. Assess fatigue separately from evening symptoms to catch this high-risk group.
• OTSLPRNQualitative2019Typology of Technology-Supported Dementia Care Interventions From an In-Home Telehealth Trial.Western journal of nursing researchDementia experts who reviewed caregivers' home videos mostly taught behavior management, disease expectations and safety skills, plus caregiver support. This maps what to assess and teach, not proof the telehealth programme works.
• PTOTRNRCT2019Characterizing patient-clinician chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy assessment and management communication approaches.Patient education and counselingClinicians discussed and documented chemotherapy-induced neuropathy in less than half of visits. When they did, they rarely asked about motor symptoms or pain severity, often using vague questions instead of specific descriptors for numbness or tingling.
• PTOTRNCase-Control2020Falls in hospital: a case-control study.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesHospital patients with poor or very poor balance were far more likely to fall. Older age, male sex and sedating or mental-health drugs were also linked. Check balance and review these drugs early.
• OTSLPRNQualitative2019Acceptance and adjustment: A qualitative study of experiences of hearing and vision impairments and daily life among oldest old recipients of home care.International journal of older people nursingPeople in their late 80s and 90s with hearing and vision loss often accept these impairments because they lack the energy to address them. They prioritize managing pain, fatigue and serious illness over sensory aids, leading to social withdrawal and difficulty with daily tasks like reading.
• PTOTRNNarrative Review2019Review of Treatment for Central Spinal Neuropathic Pain and Its Effect on Quality of Life: Implications for Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder.Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management NursesTreating central spinal neuropathic pain often reduces pain but fails to improve quality of life. Across 21 studies, only six improved both. Clinicians should target symptom clusters like fatigue and mood, not just pain intensity, to help patients feel better.
• OTRNQualitative2019Microscopic colitis: Struggling with an invisible, disabling disease.Journal of clinical nursingPatients with microscopic colitis described frequent watery stools, urgency and fear of incontinence as disabling, socially isolating and anxiety provoking, even when blood, stool and examination results did not reflect their symptoms.