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Clinical Trial
. 2000 Mar 4;320(7235):603-6.
doi: 10.1136/bmj.320.7235.603.

Domiciliary occupational therapy for patients with stroke discharged from hospital: randomised controlled trial

L Gilbertson  1 , P Langhorne, A Walker, A Allen, G D Murray
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Domiciliary occupational therapy for patients with stroke discharged from hospital: randomised controlled trial

L Gilbertson et al. BMJ. .

Abstract

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.

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References

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