Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Cervical Cancer Diagnosis On Occupational Performance, Wynnet Sinclair, Christine Mcconnell, Emily Clark, Katie B. Mcentire, Caitlin Lewis, Lyndsi Pound, Katherine Wuertz

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: In the United States, it was predicted that approximately 13,960 new cases of invasive cervical cancer would be diagnosed in 2023 (American Cancer Society, 2023). The research question focused on identifying changes in occupational performance for patients with cervical cancer. The areas of occupational performance considered were activities of daily living, leisure, work, education, social participation, and mental health.

Methods: The respondents completed a cross-sectional, mixed methods Qualtrics survey. Likert scale questions captured the degree of functional impact of cervical cancer on the predetermined areas of occupational performance.

Results: Twenty-seven subjects (ages 18 to 70) fully …

Occupational Therapy’S Opportunity To Impact Care At The End Of Life, Macey Genzlinger, Mackenzie L. Feldhacker

Student Journal of Occupational Therapy

Navigating and managing the end of life can be difficult. The focus of occupational therapy in care at the end of life is to aid the patient and caregiver through these challenges by facilitating improved safety, comfort, and quality of life through the participation in meaningful occupations. Despite the ways that occupational therapy benefits these patients, occupational therapy involvement in care at the end of life is misunderstood, under-researched, and underutilized. There is a general lack of awareness regarding this topic and a stigma that occupational therapy focuses only on rehabilitation and therefore does not belong in care at the …

Use Of An Education And Coaching Intervention To Promote Occupational Balance In Graduate Occupational Therapy Students, Linda M. Rini, Ingrid Provident

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This small-scale pilot study was developed to examine the perceived occupational balance of graduate occupational therapy students and implement an education and coaching intervention to promote occupational balance for those who have difficulty achieving and maintaining it. Although literature provides many examples of interventions to facilitate stress relief in graduate students, this is the first to address the promotion of occupational balance in this effort, which has been identified as a student-reported need. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach was used to obtain quantitative and qualitative data on occupational therapy students’ satisfaction with their balance of activity in all areas of …

Aging In Place: Key Occupational Therapy Collaborators, Shivani B. Vij

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Addressing The Long-Term Influence Of Neurotrauma On Self-Concept And Self-Identity Development: A Pilot Study, Alyse C. Giallorenzo, Brittany C. Adams, Jessica M. Winter

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Numerous neurotrauma survivors face lifelong disability post injury as a result of an event, yet there are limited specialized continued care services to support future outcomes, specifically self-concept, self-identity, and quality of life. To reduce health care barriers and support health promotion post injury, student researchers explored the influence of a community-based occupational therapy (OT) program for the neurotrauma population.

Methods: Four participants, 37 to 58 years of age, with a history of neurotrauma, participated in a mixed methods study composed of a 6-week community-based educational OT program. Outcome measures included Activity Card Sort, Lawton Brody Scale, …

Effect Of Action Observation Therapy On Pain, Kinesiophobia, Function, And Quality Of Life In Adhesive Capsulitis Patients, Prachita Walankar, Dhruvi Shah

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background: Adhesive capsulitis is a common musculoskeletal health problem. Cortical changes along with maladaptive pain behavior has been reported in literature. There is a need to implement biopsychosocial rehabilitation approaches to achieve successful outcomes. Hence, this study aims to evaluate the effect of action observation therapy (AOT) on pain, kinesiophobia, function and quality of life in adhesive capsulitis patients. Methods: This single-center, prospective study was conducted in a group of 30 persons diagnosed with adhesive capsulitis patients (19 males, 11 females). Patients were randomly assigned into two groups. Patients in one group were given AOT along with conventional exercises, while …

Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Of Function And Quality Of Life In Individuals With Lower Extremity Lymphedema: A Scoping Review, Rachel A. Dratnol, Laura H. Vanpuymbrouck

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Lower extremity lymphedema (LEL) is more prevalent than lymphedema in other body parts. Assessing lymphedema severity and impact on occupational functioning and quality of life (QOL) is essential to client-centered care in occupational therapy. The purpose of this study was to identify and compare the patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) available to assess QOL and/or level of functioning in individuals with LEL and studies using such assessments.

Method: A search of two online databases (PubMed and CINAHL) yielded 15 studies. A scoping review was completed.

Results: Numerous PROMs were identified in the development and/or validation studies or …

Mixed-Method Study Of The Experiences And Routines Of Caregivers Of Children With Type 1 Diabetes, Evelina Wozniak, Lisa Cover, Yongyue Qi, Vanessa D. Jewell

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Type 1 diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic childhood conditions that affects family roles, routines, and the ability to participate in meaningful occupations after a child’s diagnosis. Because of the complex health management routines required to ensure the safety and well-being of a child with type 1 diabetes, caregivers may experience decreased overall health and well-being.

Method: This sequential mixed-method study used a cross-sectional survey (n = 37) and phenomenological interviews (n = 6) to explore burden (the Burden Scale for Family Caregivers), quality of life (the WHO Quality of Life-BREF), and role engagement (a …

The Influence Of Upper Limb Motor Function On The Activity Of Life And Quality Of Life In Stroke Patients, Wan-Ling Hsu, Chi-Tzu Feng, I-Shiang Tzeng

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Objective: This study attempted to investigate the influence of upper limb motor function on activities of daily living(ADLs) and quality of life(QoL) in stroke patients. We also wanted to reveal whether a disparity exists in ADLs and QoL for patients with different upper limbs impairment. Methods: A total of 57 stroke patients (mean age=55.55±13.11 years old, onset time= 1.57±1.87 years) were analyzed in the study. Methods used to evaluate outcomes included Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) for assessing the motor function of upper limbs; functional independence measure (FIM) for assessing the independent of ADLs, and stoke impact scale (SIS) for evaluating the …

Exploring The Feasibility Of A Virtual, Home-Based Musicglove® Protocol For Children With Hemiparetic Cerebral Palsy, Tiana Nguyen, Lisa Choromanski, Tatiana Kreuzer, Jamie Stroppini

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The MusicGlove® as an occupational therapy intervention has been shown to improve upper limb function and satisfaction over conventional therapies for adults who have had a stroke, however, its effectiveness with children who have cerebral palsy has not been examined. The purpose of this research was to explore the feasibility of a virtual, home-based MusicGlove® protocol to increase upper extremity function, quality of life, and internal motivation in children with hemiparetic cerebral palsy.

Method: Three participants, ages 6 to 16, diagnosed with hemiparetic cerebral palsy participated in 23 guided sessions using the home-based MusicGlove protocol over 5 …

Analysis Of Zero Balancing Case Studies Through An Occupational Therapy Lens, Deanna Waggy Otr, Msa, Czb, Csla

Journal of Transformative Touch

Does Zero Balancing positively impact occupational performance? This is a question many Occupational Therapists (OTs) ask when discerning if Zero Balancing (ZB) is an evidence-based treatment modality. Case studies from the book Experiencing the Power of Zero Balancing: Case Studies of Journeys to Health and Wholeness (Quarry & King, 2016) were reviewed and compared to the Occupational Therapy domain of practice to show clear evidence that each case study had a positive impact on occupational performance. A comparison chart shows a direct link between the occupational categories and documented evidence of improved occupational performance through practitioner observation and client feedback …

Enriched Tai Chi (Etc) Program Enhances Quality Of Life For Older Adults In Assisted Living Facility: Feasibility Study, Pooja Ghai, Amanda J. Mohler, Mary Tracy Morrison

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Older adults living in assisted living facilities (ALFs) are at risk for physical and mental health decline that precipitates nursing home placement. There is a need for an exercise program that improves the quality of life (QOL) for older adults living in the ALFs. This study’s primary purpose was to investigate the feasibility of an Enriched tai chi (ETC) intervention program on improving the QOL of older adults living in an ALF.

Method: A convenience sample of six older adults living in the same ALF attended the ETC program for 16 consecutive sessions two times per …

Persistent Dyspnea, Declined Moderate To Vigorous Physical Activity, Functional Status, And Quality Of Life During The Post-Acute Phase Of Covid-19 Infection: A Pilot Case Control Study., Hussain Aslan Mph. Ed., Msc., Corey Tomczak Phd, Darcy Marciniuk Md, Scotty Butcher Phd

Journal for Sports Neuroscience

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the multifaceted impacts of post-acute phase of COVID-19 infection on the sense of dyspnea, select intensities of physical activity, functional, and psychological variables among survivors compared to age matched healthy participants and their implications for rehabilitation programs in this population.

Methods: Seventy-eight (male, female age 30-70 yrs.) participants (39 COVID-infected, CI and 39 age-matched healthy controls, HC). Four questionnaires were used to assess the variables in this study: dyspnea scale of the Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Functional Status Questionnaire (FSQ), and the RAND-36 measure …

Occupational Therapy And Therapeutic Horticulture For Women With Cancer And Chronic Pain: A Pilot Study, Yuko Mori, Julie Kugel, Dragana Krpalek, Heather Javaherian-Dysinger, Lida Gharibvand

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Chronic pain among individuals with cancer can adversely affect quality of life (QOL) and physical, social, and emotional functioning. Therapeutic horticulture has been shown to be effective for treating various medical conditions; however, the focus on cancer survivors with chronic pain is marginal. This study evaluated the effectiveness of therapeutic horticulture for women with cancer living with chronic pain.

Method: A mixed methods experimental design was used to examine the impact of a 6-week therapeutic horticulture program with seven females with cancer who presented with chronic pain for longer than 3 months. Perception of pain, QOL, and …

Evaluation Of Clinical Morbidities And Their Influence On Quality Of Life In Patients With Oral Cavity Cancer After Radiotherapy, Hao-Wei Tang, Tung-Hao Chang, Kuan-Lin Chen, Kuo-Yang Tsai, Su-Fen Liao, Wei-Te Wang

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Background: Oral cavity cancer is the most common cancer in middle-aged men in Taiwan. Radiation fibrosis syndrome and lymphedema are the leading side effects in patients with oral cavity cancer, and can deteriorate their quality of life (QOL). The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate common morbidities and their influences on QOL in patients with oral cavity cancer. Methods: 27 patients with oral cavity cancer who received surgery and radiotherapy (RT) were recruited. Clinical evaluations of each patient included the VAS pain scale, the lymphedema scale, facial distance measurement for lymphedema, maximal interincisal distance (MID), range of motion …

From Isolation To Communication: Connecting Adults Who Have Hearing Loss With Their Communication Partners, Stephen D. Roberts, Nancy A. Delich

JADARA

As Baby Boomers enter the late adulthood stage of life, hearing loss continues to be one of the most prevalent, chronic, and isolating conditions facing older adults today. Research has focused on the negative consequences of hearing loss on the health and the person’s well-being, but it is equally important to recognize that hearing loss also leads to communication loss. The resulting social isolation and the collateral effects of hearing loss on the communication partner are the focus of this mixed-method study that explored the hearing loss-related quality of life for both parties. Five overarching themes emerged from the analysis, …

An Exploration Of Quality Of Life Contributors For Stroke Survivors: Potential Implications For Service Delivery Within The Community Rehabilitation Context, Gaylea Fritsch, Sarah Patterson, Anita Blight, Renaye Daniells

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Community rehabilitation services typically assist stroke survivors with function, participation, and quality of life. Many factors have been found to influence the overall quality of life including self-identity, control, social supports, personality, and participation in valued activities. This review explored the possible contributing quality of life factors for stroke survivors within a community rehabilitation context to assist with further development of service delivery within this clinical area. Method: A purposive sample of clients with stroke (n=20) was selected based on their overall quality of life change during their rehabilitation program as measured on the World Health Organisation Quality of …

Evaluation And Treatment Of Musicians From A Holistic Perspective, Annie Ting, Janice Rocker

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Throughout the past 3 decades, treatment of injured musicians in a health care setting has been reported; however, the quality of care from a musician’s standpoint is poor. As musicians are speaking up more about their pain, the profession of occupational therapy has the capacity to make an impact on the way musicians are treated from a rehabilitative perspective. Musicians often do not trust medical practitioners who follow the traditional medical model because their symptoms and concerns are not addressed. Occupational therapists, especially those working in the realm of hand rehabilitation, are well equipped to treat injured musicians using our …

An Interprofessional Collaborative Approach To The Development Of A Content Valid Interview Questionnaire For Persons With Hearing Loss And Their Communication Partners, Nancy A. Delich, Stephen D. Roberts

JADARA

An assessment instrument needs to be valid in order for data to be accurately interpreted and applied. Currently, few rigorous content evaluations have been conducted on hearing-related questionnaires. This study describes a multiphase approach for obtaining content validity evidence in the development of a questionnaire that explores quality of life for persons with hearing loss and their communication partners. A panel of 15 interprofessional experts evaluated 41 questionnaire items for content relevance and content clarity. Findings revealed an overall scale of .99 for content relevance and .85 for content clarity, indicating high content validity for the revised 40-item questionnaire.

Effect Of Aquatic Exercise On Fatigue, Fitness, Arm Edema, Levels Of Distress, And Quality Of Life Among Breast Cancer Survivors, Ellen Broach, Phillip Norrell

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a recreational therapy aquatic intervention on physical and psychosocial performance of breast cancer survivors. Eligible participants were assigned to either a water exercise group or a control group who received standard care treatment for breast cancer. The intervention group attended aquatic exercise sessions three times per week for eight weeks in a heated outdoor pool. Sessions lasted 50 minutes in duration. The aquatic exercise group significantly improved their endurance, body mass, level of distress, and total score for fatigue. No significant differences occurred in the control group. Social validity …

Integrating Art And Narrative To Enhance Quality Of Life In Palliative Care, Jennifer Fortuna

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Lacie Lee Wallace, a mixed-media artist from Wheeling, West Virginia, is featured on the cover of the Fall 2018 issue of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). The photograph depicts Lacie holding a self-portrait painted by artist CeCey Rose. Lacie’s physical appearance in the photograph is strikingly different from the physical appearance of the woman featured in the painting. The portrait was created 4 years before Lacie was diagnosed with advanced stage colon cancer. In the year following the diagnosis, Lacie lost nearly 100 lbs. as a result of an aggressive treatment regimen. When the palliative care team at …

Quality Of Life, Stress Perception, And Quality Of Social Networks In Persons Living With Brain Injury: An Exploration Of The Effectiveness Of A Community-Based Program, Barbara P. White, Abigail Brinkman, Barbara P. Kresge, Lisa Couture

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: This paper examines specific program elements of a community-based program for individuals living with brain injury. Results from a previous study suggested that members who attended regularly reported lower stress perception, higher quality of life perception, and higher social connectedness than did peers living in the community without such supports. In this study, we sought to understand reasons for their perceptions about how the program may have been helpful in shaping their perspectives of living with the effects of brain injury.

Methods: An explanatory case-study approach was applied, using multiple cases. Nine individuals were randomly selected from a subsample …

Eudemonic Care: A Future Path For Occupational Therapy?, Charlotte L. Royeen, Franklin Stein, Alivia Murtha, Julie Stambaugh

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The core tenets of occupational therapy date to ancient Greece. Philosophers and physicians alike promulgated that quality of life, or “eudemonia,” is at the center of both ethical and medical concern and can be attained through healthful engagement in meaningful occupation. In more recent times, there has been a strong call to return to the powerful implementation of the eudemonic moral philosophy in health care practice, especially in occupational therapy. Searches of recent occupational therapy research show that integration of wellness initiatives into rehabilitative treatment sessions can have a profound impact on the physical and emotional healthfulness of people with …

The Efficacy Of High Intensity Interval Training On Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Reviewarticle, Yuping Huang, Weihwa Liaw, Kueiyu Chien, Chienming Chen

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Recent studies have begun to replace low-intensity exercise with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to improve physical fitness and health-related quality of life of cancer survivors. To the best of our knowledge, there is no systematic reviewarticle to investigate the effect of HIIT on cancer survivors. Therefore, the aim of this systematic reviewarticle study is to summarize relevant randomized controlled trials on the physiologic efficacy of HIIT on cancer survivors, and to establish the clinical intervention principles of HIIT for cancer survivors. The literature reviewarticle covered online electronic databases (Pubmed, Medline, PEDro, and CEPS) from 2000 to 2016, and searched for …

Associations Between Physical Fitness And Health-Related Quality Of Life Of Nurses, Chia-Huei Lin, Li-Chi Chiang, Wen-Chii Tzeng, Liang-Cheng Chen, Shin-Tsu Chang, Shang-Lin Chiang

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Background: Little is known regarding health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and its association with physical fitness among nurses. Purpose: To investigate whether physical fitness was associated with HRQOL among nurses. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 232 volunteer nurses who were 31 years of age and free of disease-related disability. Physical fitness was assessed using a cws28 health-related physical fitness system which measured body composition (BMI and percentage body fat), balance, flexibility, muscle strength, muscular endurance, and cardiorespiratory fitness. SF-36®, a structured self-reporting questionnaire, was used to evaluate HRQOL. The association between physical fitness and HRQOL (independent of potential …

Influence Of Pain On Depression And Quality Of Life In Patients With Spinal Cord Injury, Yao-Jen Chen, Hong-Ye Chen

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Objective: To assess pain prevalence in a spinal cord injury (SCI) population and the influence of pain on depression and quality of life in patients with SCI. Methods: Two hundred twenty six SCI patients were asked to participate in this study after completing a questionnaire. The questionnaire included demographic data, clinical characteristics of SCI, performance of daily activities and pain intensity on a Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). The Chinese version of Identification (ID) of pain questionnaire was used to detect the neuropathic form of pain. The Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire (TDQ) was used for screening of depression and the Taiwan version …

Functional Improvement In Older Adults After A Falls Prevention Pilot Study, Pei-Fen J. Chang, Yong-Fang Kuo

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Falls are a costly, disabling, and life-threatening risk in the elderly. Improvements in physical function, balance, lower extremity strength, and health-related quality of life are hypothesized to help mitigate fall risk. In this pilot study, six women and men with an average age of 81 years participated in a 6-week exercise and education program created to reduce risk of falls. Evaluations were made at baseline and at 6 weeks on four tests: the Functional Status Questionnaire, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the Six-minute Walk Test, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life–BREF 26-question test. Scores indicated significant improvement in …

The Effect Of A Health Promotion Program On Overweight Polio Survivors, Yen-Nung Lin, Chi-Yang Hsu, Chyan-Yeong Wang, Kwang-Hwa Chang, Tsan-Hon Liou

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Although health promotion issues specific to people with physical disabilities have received much attention in the last ten years, related clinical trials studying the efficacy and viability of these programs are lacking. In this pilot study, we implemented a short-term health promotion intervention for overweight/obese post-polio survivors. The study design included a three-month intervention containing exercise, diet education and health behavior modification, a before-and-after comparison, and a 12-month follow-up.Thirty one subjects were enrolled. They were divided into three groups by their mobility ability. Group 1 was comprised of those who could walk independently without an orthosis; group 2 subjects walked …

Effects Of High Voltage Galvanic Stimulation On Sleep And Health-Related Quality Of Life Among Hemodialysis Patients, Min-Dauw Chung, Mu-Jung Kao, Chiu-Ching Huang, Yu-Wen Cheng, Mei-Wun Tsai

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Background/Purpose: Disturbances in sleep and health-related quality of life (HRQL) are common in hemodialysis patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of high voltage galvanic stimulation (HVGS) on blood chemistry, sleeping quality and HRQL among hemodialysis patients.Methods: This is an experimental one way repeated measure design. We enrolled 19 patients from a major hemodialysis center. All patients underwent whole body FT-9000 HVGS therapy, 20 minutes per session, three times per week, for 12 weeks. The assessments of therapeutic effectiveness including basic blood cell counts and biochemistry, Short Form-36 (SF-36) health survey, and the Pittsburgh sleep quality …

The Relationship Of Quality Of Life And Peak (The Symbol Is Abbreviated)O2 In Patients Short-Term After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft, Chen-Liang Chou, Chia-Ling Chang, Su-Ying Hung, Yu-Chen Chai, Chen-Ming Chiu, Tcho-Jen Liu, Shian-Ting Lai

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

The purpose of this study was to investigate the quality of life and physical fitness in patients after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). We used WHOQOL-BREF (Taiwan) to evaluate the quality of life, and (The symbol is abbreviated) O(subscript 2peak) to evaluate physical fitness. We also collected the data of pre-operative left ventricle cardiac ejection fraction and analyzed the correlation within the data.There were 33 male post-CABG patients enrolled in this study. Each patient received a cardiopulmonary exercise stress test 3~4 weeks after the surgery. Each of them completed the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire (Taiwan version). We applied Pearson's correlation coefficient to …