Internet-Based Information Sharing With Families of Patients With Stroke in a Rehabilitation Hospital During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Case-Control Study.
Tatsunori Murakami, Yumi Higuchi, Tetsuya Ueda and 2 others
PMID 35960841WHAT IT FOUND
Stroke patients whose families received video updates on rehabilitation progress improved more in daily living activities than matched controls.
However, families chose to participate, so proactive support rather than the videos may have driven the gain.
Key findings
01Patients in the ICT group had a median total FIM difference of 28.5 compared to 11.0 in the control group, showing significant improvement in ADL function.
02Multiple regression analysis indicated that ICT use was independently associated with ADL improvement, even after adjusting for length of stay and time from onset.
03The study was not randomized, and selection bias remains a concern because families who requested internet-based information may have been more proactive in supporting the patient.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was not randomized; families self-selected into the ICT group, introducing significant selection bias. Families who requested updates may have been more motivated or involved, which could explain the better patient outcomes. The sample size was very small (32 patients total) and from a single institution, limiting generalizability. The intervention included multiple components (videos of PT, OT, SLP; family sending home photos; therapist suggestions for home modifications), so it is impossible to determine which specific element drove the improvement. Patients' motivation for rehabilitation, a potential mechanism for the observed effect, was not measured. The length of hospital stay was longer in the ICT group (95.3 days vs 70.6 days), which is a known factor for greater FIM gains, although the regression analysis attempted to adjust for this.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was approved by local ethics committees.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that video updates directly caused the improved functional independence. The families who chose to participate may have been more proactive in supporting their relatives, and the study could not separate this selection bias from the effect of the intervention itself.