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 52 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTCohort2019Outcomes of an interdisciplinary work rehabilitation program.Work (Reading, Mass.)After a comprehensive interdisciplinary program that typically involved physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician, case managers, athletic trainers, psychologists, and vocational counselors, more patients worked at discharge and lifted more pounds. Single components cannot be separated.
• OTOther2019Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Hong Kong Version of the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HK-KOOS) for Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis.Occupational therapy internationalThe HK-KOOS gave reliable, culturally adapted self-report scores for knee osteoarthritis in Hong Kong. It did not match the original questionnaire's grouping, and 20% of participants scored lowest in Sports/Rec.
• PTOTCohort2019Emergency department utilization among pediatric spina bifida patients.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineChildren with spina bifida, especially those with higher lesion levels, used the emergency department frequently. Shunt concerns drove most visits, but only 10% of those with shunt complaints had a malfunction. Urinary issues were the most common reason for hospital admission.
• OTOther2019The importance of including position and viewing direction when measuring and assessing the lighting conditions of office workers.Work (Reading, Mass.)Vertical light at eye level can be 12 to 15 times higher when looking toward a window than when looking away, even though observed workers spent 92.5% of workstation time looking at screens. Average room light measurements can miss this.
• OTSurvey2019Supporting choices about HIV disclosure in the workplace: A cross-Canada survey of strategies.Work (Reading, Mass.)About a third of surveyed providers were only a little or not confident supporting HIV workplace disclosure decisions. Web/print referrals were common but rated less effective by users than intensive counseling. OTs can note that Canadian accommodations often do not require naming a diagnosis.
• PTOTSurvey2019Pain neuroscience education: Which pain neuroscience education metaphor worked best?The South African journal of physiotherapyPatients recovering from lumbar surgery rated eleven pain education metaphors as similarly helpful. No single story stood out. The combination of all metaphors helped patients understand their pain, suggesting a flexible approach to education may work better than relying on one specific analogy.
• OTQualitative2019A Service User Perspective Informing the Role of Occupational Therapy in School Transition Practice for High School Learners with TBI: An African Perspective.Occupational therapy internationalMost adolescents with TBI and their caregivers said school reentry was poorly prepared and poorly supported. They wanted clear communication between health and school, practical accommodations, emotional support, accessible buildings, and timely funding.
• OTSurvey2020Impact of Work-Related Burn Injury on Social Reintegration Outcomes: A Life Impact Burn Recovery Evaluation (LIBRE) Study.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationAdult burn survivors injured at work reported worse work and employment outcomes than those injured elsewhere, including fear of going to work and feeling limited at work. Other social reintegration areas showed no differences after accounting for other factors.
• OTCohort2020Using a Biopsychosocial Model to Understand Long-Term Outcomes in Persons With Burn Injuries.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationPre-burn emotional health and avoidance coping were linked to burn adjustment over two years. Avoidance coping was associated with more distress, depressive symptoms and PTSD at one year, and more PTSD at two years.
• OTCohort2020Satisfaction With Life Over Time in People With Burn Injury: A National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research Burn Model System Study.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationBurn survivors split into two groups over 2 years: 224 kept high life satisfaction, while 154 started lower and got worse. Older age, unemployment before injury, and poorer mental health at discharge were more common in the worsening group.
• OTSurvey2020The smartphone in the memory clinic: A study of patient and care partner's utilisation habits.Neuropsychological rehabilitationPatients and care partners in a memory clinic often use smartphones daily, but mainly for email and general features. They use built-in reminders, calendars, alarms and voice features less often, so these aids are not yet common.
• OTSurvey2020Long-Term Social Reintegration Outcomes for Burn Survivors With and Without Peer Support Attendance: A Life Impact Burn Recovery Evaluation (LIBRE) Study.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationBurn survivors who reported attending peer support groups scored better on social interaction, activities, and work. When researchers accounted for sex, burn size and time since injury, the social interaction association remained. That is association, not proof.
• PTOTSLPRCT2020Frontal lesions predict response to prism adaptation treatment in spatial neglect: A randomised controlled study.Neuropsychological rehabilitationPrism adaptation improved daily functional neglect only in stroke patients with frontal lesions. Those without frontal lesions saw no benefit over standard care. Paper-and-pencil tests missed this difference entirely. Use functional observation to guide treatment selection.
• PTOTQualitative2019Culture, Health, Function, and Participation Among American Indian and Alaska Native Children and Youth With Disabilities: An Exploratory Qualitative Analysis.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationFamilies said American Indian and Alaska Native children with disabilities often watched cultural events instead of taking part, because terrain, equipment, and transport blocked them. Providers did not ask about these cultural participation needs.
• OTOther2019Longitudinal Associations Between Fatigue and Perceived Work Ability in Cancer Survivors.Journal of occupational rehabilitationAmong 89 cancer survivors, people whose fatigue scores dropped over 18 months tended to report better work ability. A five-point drop in general fatigue tracked with a one-point gain on a 10-point work ability scale.
• PTOTSystematic Review2019Factors influencing participation in physical activity after dysvascular amputation: a qualitative meta-synthesis.Disability and rehabilitationPeople after leg amputation related to diabetes or circulation problems described activity as shaped by tailored education, support, confidence, prosthesis fit, symptoms, and environment. Walking was often seen as safe and feasible. These themes identify targets, not tested effects.
• OTCohort2019Do Differences in Work Disability Duration Between Men and Women Vary by Province in Canada?Journal of occupational rehabilitationWomen were less likely to transition off workers' compensation disability benefits than men in the first weeks and months, but around two to ten months the pattern often reversed. Province and claim duration changed the difference.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2019Self-management of a musculoskeletal condition for people from harder to reach groups: a qualitative patient interview study.Disability and rehabilitationPatients with musculoskeletal conditions reported that clinicians focused on medication and cure, leaving them feeling hopeless about self-management. They relied on family, neighbours, and community networks for practical support and understanding, rather than finding clear guidance in rushed clinical consultations.
• OTCohort2019The Influence of Multi-morbidity on the Work Ability of Ageing Employees and the Role of Coping Style.Journal of occupational rehabilitationIn employed Dutch adults, having more chronic health problems was linked to lower self-rated work ability. Mental health problems showed a stronger link than physical problems. Active coping was linked to better work ability, avoidant coping to worse.
• PTOTQualitative2019Older adults' perceptions of wearable technology hip protectors: implications for further research and development strategies.Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technologyMost participants thought the hip protector idea was good, but many said they would not wear it. They worried about underwear style, visibility, dexterity, incontinence pads, mobile signal, and cost.
• OTSurvey2020The effects of service dogs on psychosocial health and wellbeing for individuals with physical disabilities or chronic conditions.Disability and rehabilitationPeople with a service dog reported better overall psychosocial health, including emotional, social, and work or school functioning, than people waiting for one. It was not associated with anger, companionship, or sleep.
• OTRCT2020A qualitative analysis of pressure injury development among medically underserved adults with spinal cord injury.Disability and rehabilitation25 adults with spinal cord injury developed medically serious pressure injuries during a prevention program, and notes identified themes including basic wound care knowledge gaps, equipment shortfalls, comorbidities, bed rest non-adherence, inactivity, or circumstances beyond the program.
• OTRCT2020Dissociable effects of attention vs working memory training on cognitive performance and everyday functioning following fronto-parietal strokes.Neuropsychological rehabilitationCompared with waiting, home computer training with weekly phone support reduced spatial bias after selective attention training, improved a closely related memory task after working memory training, and reduced reported everyday cognitive difficulty.
• OTSLPOther2020Evaluation of a Transition to University Programme for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic students reported fewer worries about university after a three-day summer school and rated it helpful and enjoyable. The programme included many components, so it cannot show which part helped.
• PTOTSurvey2020Cardiometabolic disease, depressive symptoms, and sleep disorders in middle-aged adults with functional disabilities: NHANES 2007-2014.Disability and rehabilitationAfter accounting for other factors, adults with severe functional disability were more likely to have cardiovascular disease and diabetes than adults without disability. Adults with moderate disability were not. Depressive symptoms and sleep disorders did not explain this.
• PTOTCase Report2020Improved Mobility, Cognition, and Disease Severity in Corticobasal Degeneration of an African American Man After 12 Weeks of Adapted Tango: A Case Study.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationShort-term gains in mobility, cognition, and disease severity were seen after adapted tango in a man with corticobasal degeneration, but many gains faded by follow-up and depression worsened.
• PTOTOther2019Physical Function and Pre-Amputation Characteristics Explain Daily Step Count after Dysvascular Amputation.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationFour factors explain 62% of daily step count after dysvascular amputation: walking distance in a 2-minute test, assistive device use, cardiovascular disease, and pre-amputation walking time. Rehabilitation should target these alongside physical function.
• OTSystematic Review2019The Influence of Social Support and Social Integration Factors on Return to Work Outcomes for Individuals with Work-Related Injuries: A Systematic Review.Journal of occupational rehabilitationNo eligible studies tested social support interventions. Injured workers said timely communication, trust, belief that the injury was real, and positive reactions made return to work easier. Poor communication, judgement, exclusion, and indifference made it harder.
• OTSurvey2019Three Out of Ten Working Patients Expect No Clinical Improvement of Their Ability to Perform Work-Related Knee-Demanding Activities After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Multicenter Study.Journal of occupational rehabilitationMost working patients expecting total knee replacement believed their work-related knee activities would improve. Still, 28% expected no meaningful improvement, and many expected severe difficulty with kneeling, crouching, and clambering.
• OTQualitative2019"Knocking on Doors that Don't Open": experiences of caregivers of children living with disabilities in Iquitos and Lima, Peru.Disability and rehabilitationCaregivers and key informants in Peru described little emotional or tangible support at diagnosis, confusing access to services, and stigma. They wanted caregiver support groups, clearer routes to help, and community education. No treatment outcomes were measured.
• PTOTSystematic Review2019Sustainable Return to Work: A Systematic Review Focusing on Personal and Social Factors.Journal of occupational rehabilitationSupport from managers and colleagues, positive attitude, confidence, younger age and higher education were most consistently linked with staying back at work after musculoskeletal or mental health absence. No single factor explained sustainable return.
• OTQualitative2019Barriers to and Facilitators of Implementing Programs for Return to Work (RTW) of Cancer Survivors in Four European Countries: A Qualitative Study.Journal of occupational rehabilitationExperts in four European countries said cancer return-to-work programs are hard to implement because employers, clinicians and society often lack work-cancer knowledge, roles are unclear and communication breaks down. Clear rights, supportive cultures and early planning were named as useful.
• OTSLPOther2020Creating a digital memory notebook application for individuals with mild cognitive impairment to support everyday functioning.Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technologyPeople with memory impairment and caregivers completed adding and navigating tasks faster across four iPad usability tests and rated the app more favourably. The result is better usability, not proof it improves daily memory.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2020Perceptions of the impact of chorea on health-related quality of life in Huntington disease (HD): A qualitative analysis of individuals across the HD spectrum, family members, and clinicians.Neuropsychological rehabilitationPeople with Huntington disease and their families describe chorea as a source of stigma, isolation, and lost independence, not just physical movement. Clinicians must address the social and safety impacts of chorea, rather than assuming motor symptoms are the primary concern.
• OTCase-Control2020A Quantitative Sensory Testing Approach to Pain in Autism Spectrum Disorders.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn 13 autistic adults and 13 matched controls, lab pain tests showed no consistent group difference. Autistic adults needed stronger touch and pinprick stimuli to detect or feel pain, and individual patterns varied widely.
• PTOTCohort2020Examination of the Lumbar Movement Pattern during a Clinical Test and a Functional Activity Test in People with and without Low Back Pain.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationLumbar movement patterns during a clinical forward bend test closely match those used during a functional pick-up task. Early lumbar excursion predicts functional limitation in people with chronic low back pain, suggesting clinical tests can reflect real-world movement issues.
• PTOTQualitative2020Mobility and medical service dogs: a qualitative analysis of expectations and experiences.Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technologyOwners of mobility or medical service dogs stressed companionship, emotional support, and social interactions, while waitlist applicants expected mainly physical or medical help. Both groups noted care demands and public access problems, and 30% of owners said no drawbacks.
• OTSLPQualitative2020Supporting Minimally Verbal Autistic Girls with Intellectual Disabilities Through Puberty: Perspectives of Parents and Educators.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents and educators described varied puberty needs in minimally verbal autistic girls with intellectual disabilities. Menstrual care was prioritised for dignity and independence, taught in small individualised steps over long periods. These are perspectives, not tested outcomes.
• OTOther2019Reliability and responsiveness of the Jebsen-Taylor Test of Hand Function and the Box and Block Test for children with cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyThe Box and Block Test and Jebsen-Taylor Test gave stable scores over 2 weeks, except the Box and Block Test on the more affected hand. They changed after 90 hours of intensive bimanual therapy. Over 120 days without therapy, scores were not stable.
• OTNarrative Review2019Obstetric management, tests, and technologies that impact childhood development.Developmental medicine and child neurologyNeonatal hypoglycemia was associated with poorer executive function and visual motor function at 4 years 6 months, and could influence later learning.
• OTSurvey2019Sex differences in employment and supports for adults with autism spectrum disorder.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceWomen with autism were equally likely as men to be employed or receive benefits, but reported less desire to work more hours and received significantly less financial and service support when they did qualify. Men were more likely to cite inability to find work; women more often chose not to work.
• PTOTSLPCohort2019Risk Markers for Not Returning to Work Among Patients with Acquired Brain Injury: A Population-Based Register Study.Journal of occupational rehabilitationOne year after brain injury, women, people born outside Sweden, lower education, aphasia, long hospital stays, mobility or self-care problems, pain, anxiety/depression, and lower satisfaction with rehabilitation process or planning were at higher risk of not returning to work.
• PTOTCohort2019Walking and living independently with spina bifida: a 50-year prospective cohort study.Developmental medicine and child neurologyWalking ability declined from 51% in childhood to 27% at age 50. However, independent living increased from 23% to 54% over the same period, partly because those with severe deficits died younger. Neurological level at birth and shunt history predicted long-term outcomes.
• PTOTCohort2019Longitudinal Effects of Medical Comorbidities on Functional Outcome and Life Satisfaction After Traumatic Brain Injury: An Individual Growth Curve Analysis of NIDILRR Traumatic Brain Injury Model System Data.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationAfter moderate-severe brain injury, motor and cognitive independence rose for years, then fell by 10 years. Life satisfaction stayed stable. Anxiety, depression, PTSD, diabetes, and other comorbidities were associated with different function or life-satisfaction trajectories. These are associations, not proven causes.
• OTCohort2019Parenting Behaviors after Moderate - Severe Traumatic Injury in Early Childhood.Developmental neurorehabilitationAcross broad parenting styles, injury type did not predict change. Parents of children with severe or moderate TBI reported declining warmth and involvement over years, while permissive and authoritarian behaviors fell in all groups.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2019Rehabilitation Practices in Patients With Moderate and Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationMost ICU clinicians caring for moderate and severe TBI supported starting rehabilitation, but timing varied. They usually waited for extubation, normal intracranial pressure and hemodynamic stability, and cited staff and resource limits as barriers.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Functional Outcome Trajectories Following Inpatient Rehabilitation for TBI in the United States: A NIDILRR TBIMS and CDC Interagency Collaboration.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationOn average, survivors of complicated mild to severe TBI improved between 1 and 2 years after injury, then declined by 5 years, though many kept improvements. Age, insurance, discharge function and rehabilitation stay shaped different long-term disability and supervision paths.
• OTSLPSurvey2020Elopement Patterns and Caregiver Strategies.Journal of autism and developmental disorders96% of respondents had used elopement prevention strategies, and 94% found at least one good or very good, but 68% rated overall burden high or very high. Parent-reported medication effects for elopement were poor on average and had frequent side effects.
• OTCohort2020Use of Vocational Rehabilitation Supports for Postsecondary Education Among Transition-Age Youth on the Autism Spectrum.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic transition-age youth who received VR-funded postsecondary training were more likely to leave vocational rehabilitation with employment. Only 18.3% received such training. This is an association, not proof the training caused employment.
• OTRCT2020Effects of Dog Assisted Therapy for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Exploratory Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of autism and developmental disordersDog-assisted therapy lowered stress and family or friends reported easier social communication, but self-reported symptoms and self-esteem did not improve more than in the control group. The trial was small.