bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Occupational Therapy Predischarge Home Visits: A Study from a Community Hospital
Authors: Renforth Philip , Yapa Ranjith S , Forster Donald P 
Published: April 2015

The characteristics of 79 patients in a community hospital having an occupational therapy home visit during a period of one year were monitored. The processes of the home visit were examined and, in particular, the relationships of diagnosis and overall measures of levels of functioning – the Physical Self-Maintenance (PSM) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scales – with the recommendations of the occupational therapists were analysed. The 79 patients had a mean age of 78.5 years; 27 (34.2%) were male and 58 (73.4%) lived alone. The mean time spent in the home by the occupational therapist was 49 minutes and the mean time for the whole visit including travelling time was 108.4 minutes. Only one patient (1.3%) was completely independent in all six PSM categories and no patient was completely independent in all eight IADL items. Seventy-two (91.6%) patients were eventually discharged to a non-institutional setting, mainly the patient's own home. Current diagnosis, except for cerebrovascular disease, was not significantly related to higher overall dependency, recommended equipment or carer visit frequency. Higher overall dependency showed significant relationships with recommended carer frequency and time spent assessing the patient in the home, but not consistently with recommended equipment or home adaptations. When specific categories of equipment were considered, for example that for use in the kitchen, overall low dependency was significantly related to the recommendation for this type of equipment. The study confirms the need for assessments beyond those of diagnosis alone in rehabilitation. Overall measures of levels of functioning, although useful in measuring outcomes, are of less certain value for assessment. Specific subcategories of dependency scales are probably of more value than overall scores for occupational therapy assessment.
Getting Evidence into Practice: Implementing a Behavioural Joint Protection Education Programme for People with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Hammond Alison , Klompenhouwer Petra 
Published: April 2015

Researchers must disseminate their research findings, but this alone is often insufficient to change practice. To improve research implementation by rheumatology occupational therapists, a 2-day training course for changing joint protection practice was developed. This aimed to improve understanding of joint protection, patient education and health behaviour research; develop skills in delivering a group joint protection programme; and reduce potential barriers to changing practice. To evaluate the course's effectiveness, a postal survey with attendees was conducted. Of the 48 respondents, 45 subsequently changed individual patient education practice; 13 implemented the group programme, 25 contemplated doing so and 10 did not (precontemplators). The implementers and contemplators rated the joint protection programme as significantly more effective (p = 0.02) and relevant (p = 0.001) in practice than the precontemplators. The barriers to change were limited staffing, access to facilities, time to make practice changes, funding for programme costs and clinical time to deliver the programme. The implementers considered that supportive managers and teams helped to overcome these. Changing practice needs clinicians, researchers and managers to work together. This research implementation strategy helped most of the participating clinicians to make practice changes that were readily within their control (that is, individual patient education). Group education requires greater organisational change and manager support is important to facilitate this.
The Effectiveness of Sensory Integration Therapy to Improve Functional Behaviour in Adults with Learning Disabilities: Five Single-Case Experimental Designs
Authors: Urwin Rosalind , Ballinger Claire 
Published: April 2015

This paper describes a research project using a single-case experimental design (A-B-A), which aimed to explore the impact of sensory integration therapy (SIT) on level of engagement and maladaptive behaviour (measured through timed scores) and function (using Goal Attainment Scaling, GAS) for five learning disabled adults with tactile sensory modulation disorder. Each phase lasted 4 weeks and consisted of 24 measurements in total. Individually tailored SIT was given twice weekly for 4 weeks during the intervention phase (B), immediately prior to each individual's participation in his or her prescribed horticulture task. The changes between phases in engagement, maladaptive behaviours and function scores, measured as the difference between baselines and intervention, were analysed visually and statistically for each participant. The intervention produced significant improvements in engagement for participant four, with a highly significant deterioration in scores for all five participants on withdrawal of SIT. All the participants' maladaptive behaviour decreased significantly on the introduction of SIT. Although there was no significant change to GAS scores for four participants, participant four's score improved significantly with SIT. The withdrawal of SIT resulted in a highly significant deterioration in GAS scores for participants one, two, four and five. This study may be the first to suggest that SIT is effective in improving functional performance in adults with a learning disability with a tactile sensory modulation disorder.
Home Assessment Visits within the Acute Setting: a Discussion and Literature Review
Authors: Welch Amanda , Lowes Sylvia 
Published: April 2015

The emphasis on the effective and efficient use of finite resources within acute hospitals has led to close attention being paid to the length of patients' hospital stay and the assessment of risk in facilitating timely hospital discharge. Occupational therapy home assessment visits are valued by the multidisciplinary team as a means of assessing a patient's level of function and environmental risk to ensure safe discharge from hospital. Occupational therapists' education and training and experience mean that they are well placed to predict levels of function postdischarge and to anticipate any problems that may occur in activities of daily living. However, for patients the home assessment visit can be a stressful and bewildering experience. The short-term focus on equipment provision combined with limited postdischarge intervention may not meet patient and carer expectations or concerns with longer-term issues. Although there is a body of evidence to support this intervention, the requirement for evidence-based practice means that there is a need for additional research around the areas of optimal timing, selection of patient groups, therapist's rationale, patient and carer perspectives and any effect that home assessments may have on readmission rates. This paper discusses the literature in relation to the practice of home assessment visits from the acute setting.
The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure: Does it Address the Cultural Occupations of Ethnic Minorities?
Authors: Fisher Sarah 
Published: April 2015

This study is the first to examine the cultural sensitivity of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), as reported by occupational therapists who have used it with people from an ethnic minority background. The research was conducted as part of a Master's degree, held in Boston, USA, and funded by the Elizabeth Casson Trust, UK. Twenty-five practising occupational therapists from North America answered an emailed survey and, from this sample, three were interviewed by telephone. The findings showed that the practitioners perceived the COPM as able to address the cultural occupations of ethnic minorities; however, they felt that including examples of cultural occupations and children's occupations and modifying the rating scales would improve the tool. Two of the three therapists interviewed worked with children and, because of this, there was a focus on children's occupations that was only revealed in the second part of the research. The nature of the tool, its ability to focus on occupation and the therapist's interview skills were identified as the reasons that the COPM is effective in addressing the cultural occupations of ethnic minorities. Additional research is needed using a larger sample to validate these findings.
Student Practice Contexts: Changing Face, Changing Place
Authors: Wood Anna 
Published: April 2015

A survey was undertaken to identify emerging areas for practice placements as the first part of a three-phase project. Quantitative data pertaining to the number of non-traditional and role-emerging placements taking place were obtained. Qualitative data were gathered to identify the impetus for creating these types of placement, the ways that they were assessed and reviewed and their potential for further development. The questionnaire was circulated to 27 practice placement tutors, 24 of whom responded. The data were anonymised. Twenty-one of the practice placement tutors stated that their higher education institutions offered placements outside the National Health Service or local authority services. Mental health settings were the largest provider of both non-traditional placements (29%) and role-emerging placements (37%). The survey generated detailed responses on the strengths and challenges of these placements and the majority of the participants were in favour of further development in this area.
Spirituality: A Review of How Occupational Therapists Acknowledge, Assess and Meet Spiritual Needs
Authors: Johnston Diane , Mayers Christine 
Published: April 2015

The importance of considering an individual's spirituality and the confusion over definition have been emphasised by the interest shown in this subject over the past decade. A working definition to help to reduce confusion was presented at the College of Occupational Therapists' annual conference in 2004 and it was felt that it would be useful both to review the attitudes and practices of occupational therapists in this area and to evaluate how they assess and meet spiritual needs. It appeared that practical spiritual needs were often thought of only in terms of religious and cultural traditions or rituals and, as a result, the potential of everyday meaningful occupations was not considered fully. Therefore, the use of occupation was reviewed in relation to meeting spiritual needs. Finally, the perceived barriers to incorporating spirituality into practice were investigated. The review showed that: ▪ Although a majority of participants recognise the importance of spirituality to health and illness and the potential benefits to treatment, the number of therapists actually incorporating spiritual needs into daily practice does not demonstrate this recognition ▪ Some occupational therapists feel confident about addressing and assessing spiritual concerns explicitly, but this tends to be situation based and dependent on factors such as client-therapist relationship, therapist awareness of spiritual issues and the expression of spiritual need by the client ▪ Further exploration of the potential of everyday occupations that address the spiritual needs of both religious and non-religious clients needs to be undertaken ▪ Spirituality needs to be addressed more fully in undergraduate occupational therapy programmes.
The Artistry of Judgement: A Model for Occupational Therapy Practice
Authors: Paterson Margo , Higgs Joy , Wilcox Susan 
Published: April 2015

This paper reports on a model developed through qualitative research to examine the intriguing topic of the artistry of judgement in occupational therapy. The construct of professional practice judgement artistry or PPJA was developed (Paterson and Higgs 2001) to explore the cognitive, metacognitive and humanistic aspects of judgement in professional practice. Fifty-three occupational therapy educators and practitioners from four Commonwealth countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom) participated in focus groups and individual interviews over a one-year period in 2001–2. This research identified a number of dimensions and elements that constitute judgement artistry. The model offers a valuable insight into understanding expertise in professional practice in an era when practitioners are struggling with a demand for increased scientific research knowledge to provide evidence for best practice. This research paper recognises the value of the art of occupational therapy and supports a client-centred approach to practice.
What Evidence Exists for Work-Related Injury Prevention and Management? Analysis of an Occupational Therapy Evidence Database (OTseeker)
Authors: McCluskey Annie , Lovarini Meryl , Bennett Sally , McKenna Kryss , Tooth Leigh , Hoffmann Tammy 
Published: April 2015

This study aimed to summarise the quantity and quality of research contained in an online evidence database (OTseeker) in one practice area, work-related injury prevention and management, to highlight the available evidence. In May 2004, the systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials (RCTs) contained in OTseeker were analysed. The number and proportion of systematic reviews and RCTs and the number and proportion of RCTs meeting each of the 10 criteria on the PEDro scale (partitioned) were calculated and the topics and conclusions of the systematic reviews were summarised. Of the 2330 records contained in OTseeker, 346 (14.8%) related to work-related injury prevention and management (86 systematic reviews and 260 RCTs). Of the 260 RCTs, the majority (n = 140, 53.8%) scored between 3/8 and 5/8 for internal validity on the PEDro scale (partitioned); a few scored 6/8 or more (n = 13, 5.0%). The majority of the RCTs scored 2/2 for the reporting of results (n = 217, 83.5%). Evidence was identified, mostly for the treatment of low back pain, to support the use of multidisciplinary biopsychosocial rehabilitation including workplace visits, back schools, workplace exercise, and advice to stay active and/or return to normal activities. OTseeker contains a substantial body of research on the effectiveness of work-related injury prevention and management, although this research is of varying methodological quality.
And Then I Lost That Life: A Shared Narrative of Four Young Men with Schizophrenia
Authors: Gould Alicia , DeSouza Sharon , Rebeiro-Gruhl Karen L 
Published: April 2015

A qualitative research study was conducted to explore the occupational needs and interests of young men, aged 18–30 years, who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Four men participated in two focus groups and described their daily occupations, both before and after diagnosis. The constant comparative method of data analysis was used to generate the categories inductively, yielding several common themes and stories. A shared narrative was subsequently identified, which best reflected the collective lost dreams, disruptions and losses resulting from a diagnosis of schizophrenia. The chapters of the participants' narrative describe a common struggle of attempting to rebuild lives in spite of persistent perceived barriers. The research sheds light upon the use of occupation in assisting young men to reclaim lost dreams and lives, as well as upon the impact of diagnosis on occupational engagement.
In-order-to Analysis: An Alternative to Classifying Different Levels of Occupational Activity
Authors: Paley John , Eva Gail , Duncan Edward A S 
Published: April 2015

There have been several attempts to produce an authoritative classification scheme capable of discriminating between ‘occupation’, ‘activity’, ‘task’, ‘action’ and so on, but no consensus has ever been achieved. This paper tries to diagnose the reasons for this failure to arrive at a satisfactory method of classifying different levels of occupational activity. The paper begins with a detailed analysis of the Taxonomic Code for Occupational Performance (TCOP), the most recent attempt to produce such a scheme, and suggests that it has a number of counterintuitive implications. These are, however, rooted in a deeper problem, one which underlies not only the TCOP project but all attempts to classify occupational behaviour. Ultimately, it is argued, the classification agenda is misconceived, because it rests on the assumption that occupational terms represent real structures in the world: that they reflect (or should reflect) the way in which human doing is intrinsically divided into levels, units, sets or clusters. It is this assumption that the authors believe to be mistaken, for there is no ‘intrinsic division’ to which occupational terms can be assigned. The paper concludes by proposing a form of analysis which, it is argued, should replace classification schemes: in-order-to analysis (IOTA). This kind of analysis, which is explained and illustrated, seeks to determine the relations between various goals that the client has and the things that he or she must be able to do in order to achieve them. It is suggested that IOTA is what various attempts at classification have been groping for, but that it captures occupational therapy's characteristic form of clinical reasoning far more effectively.
An Exploration of the Perceptions and Experiences of Basic Grade Occupational Therapists Employed in a Development Post within an NHS Trust
Authors: Siddons Sue , Rouse Simon 
Published: April 2015

This study investigates an innovative concept for the employment of basic grade staff in development posts, whereby the control of and direction for their learning and development needs are given over to them. A qualitative approach was taken, using four semi-structured interviews as the data collection tool. The findings fell into three broad categories of rotation, development and supervision. The findings were that the participants had experienced some positive learning opportunities within the development posts. The flexibility and element of control that they had over their career pathways were viewed as attractions of the posts compared with a traditional rotation. Further research and refinement of what the posts offer, both to newly qualified staff and to the occupational therapy service or National Health Service trust as a whole, is recommended.
Qualifying as an Occupational Therapist: An Educational Journey from Ward-Based to Workplace Learning
Authors: Alsop Auldeen 
Published: April 2015

This article reviews the ways in which occupational therapy qualifying programmes in the United Kingdom have changed over time as a result of political, sociological, professional and educational influences on the curriculum. Historically, professional and educational strategies were embedded in a set curriculum for a diploma qualification in occupational therapy. Critical observations about the rigidity of training methods and about the potential advantages of providing different educational opportunities for individuals led to greater freedom in curriculum design. The advantages of moving occupational therapy programmes into higher education were eventually acknowledged, leading finally to the award of degrees to those qualifying as occupational therapists. This article tracks some of the educational developments from 1930, exploring key stances taken on curriculum design and models of programme delivery. The move away from, and back to, workplace learning is described. Future trends in Master's level education, distance learning and service learning are addressed briefly.
Is Vocational Rehabilitation a Transition to Recovery?
Authors: Inman Joanne , McGurk Elizabeth , Chadwick Jean 
Published: April 2015

This study explored the recovery experiences from being on a vocational rehabilitation scheme for service users with severe and enduring mental health problems. This was the first phase of a vocational rehabilitation service review and development. Two associate researchers/service users were integral to the study and increased its validity. A qualitative research method was taken, using a semi-structured interview. Two main themes emerged: moving on and being on the scheme. The findings were that transitional vocational rehabilitation schemes could have a positive effect on the vocational status, quality of life and mental health of service users with severe and enduring mental health problems given the right environment. It was recommended that the vocational rehabilitation scheme should continue, whilst the support for service users and interagency working alongside the scheme warranted further investigation. Following the study, the scheme expanded to become an employment service that extends from the public to the independent sector and offers a wider range of vocational rehabilitation schemes within it.
Participation of Children and Young People in Research: Competence, Power and Representation
Authors: Curtin Michael , Murtagh Jane 
Published: April 2015

Over recent years, there has been a move away from researching ‘on’ to researching ‘with’ or ‘for’ young people. This reflects the increasingly recognised right of young people to participate in research and to express their views and opinions. It also corresponds with the acceptance that young people both influence and are influenced by the contexts in which they live. This move has, however, raised many issues that need to be considered when using research methodologies that aim to capture young people's voices, perspectives, interests and rights. Perhaps the most pertinent of these issues are those of competence, power and representation. Without consideration of these issues, it is easy to misrepresent and suppress the very voices and identities that researchers are aiming to represent. This article illustrates how each issue was dealt with in two research projects conducted with young people who had a motor impairment and with the siblings of young people with a brain injury. It is reflected that occupational therapy researchers should work towards greater collaboration and participation when researching young people. This is particularly relevant because the occupational therapy profession claims to be person-centred and as such this must be reflected in the research that it conducts.
The Use of Creative Activities with People with Mental Health Problems: A Survey of Occupational Therapists
Authors: Griffiths Sue , Corr Susan 
Published: April 2015

Creative activities have been used by occupational therapists with people with mental health problems, but limited research has been published about their scope and utility. A cross-sectional survey of occupational therapists was conducted to establish how creative activities were being used for purposes other than psychodynamic therapy. Of the 66 respondents, 54 (82%) reported using creative activities, with the majority doing so at least once a week. Diverse activities were identified as being used. The inherent nature of creative activities, their ability to meet specific needs and assist with achieving diverse objectives and their usefulness in both 1:1 and group situations were reasons why these activities were being used by occupational therapists. This research adds to the understanding of the value that occupational therapists place on creative activities in intervention. It will inform further research, including establishing service users' views and exploring the effectiveness of the use of such activities.