Abstract / Description of output
Objective: To establish if a brief programme of domiciliary occupational therapy could improve the recovery of patients with stroke discharged from hospital. Design: Single blind randomised controlled trial. Setting: Two hospital sites within a UK teaching hospital. Subjects: 138 patients with stroke with a definite plan for discharge home from hospital. Intervention: Six week domiciliary occupational therapy or routine follow up. Main outcome measures: Nottingham extended activities of daily living score and 'global outcome' (deterioration according to the Barthel activities of daily living index, or death). Results: By eight weeks the mean Nottingham extended activities of daily living score in the intervention group was 4.8 points (95% confidence interval -0.5 to 10.0, P = 0.08) greater than that of the control group. Overall, 16 (24%) intervention patients had a poor global outcome compared with 30 (42%) control patients (odds ratio 0.43, 0.21 to 0.89, P = 0.02). These patterns persisted at six months but were not statistically significant. Patients in the intervention group were more likely to report satisfaction with a range of aspects of services. Conclusion: The functional outcome and satisfaction of patients with stroke can be improved by a brief occupational therapy programme carried out in the patient's home immediately after discharge. Major benefits may not, however, be sustained.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 603-606 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | British Medical Journal |
| Volume | 320 |
| Issue number | 7235 |
| Publication status | Published - 4 Mar 2000 |