The Effect of Occupational Therapy Services on Functional Mobility for Patients with Cancer in Acute Care Settings.
Christine C McNichols, Alicia K Peterson, Stacey Reynolds
PMID 40463783WHAT IT FOUND
Patients with cancer who received occupational therapy showed a tiny average improvement in mobility scores.
However, when researchers adjusted for other factors, the amount of therapy received did not predict this change.
Key findings
01The average AM-PAC 6-Clicks Basic Mobility score increased slightly from admission to discharge, from 18.15 to 18.34 points.
02After adjusting for patient factors, the number of occupational therapy units billed did not significantly predict the change in mobility scores.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study was observational, so it cannot prove that occupational therapy caused the mobility changes. Patients often received physical therapy at the same time, so the specific effect of occupational therapy could not be separated from physical therapy. It is unclear who recorded the mobility scores, as both occupational and physical therapists may have done so. The sample included only patients referred for occupational therapy, who may differ from those not referred. The change in scores was very small (0.19 points), and it is unclear if this has real meaning for patients.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest, funding, or sponsorship.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that increasing the number of occupational therapy sessions will lead to better mobility outcomes for patients with cancer. The study found no significant link between therapy intensity and mobility change after adjusting for other factors.