BACKGROUND: The modified version of the Pulmonary Functional Status and Dyspnea Questionnaire (PFSDQ-M) is used in patients with COPD to obtain information about their functional status. It consists of 3 components (change in activities, dyspnea and fatigue) ranging from 0 to 100 and has been shown to be responsive following ...

Abstract Aim: The aim of this paper is to explore approaches used to address some stroke rehabilitation interventions and to examine the potential use of one of the life-span theories called the Baltes' model of selective optimisation with compensation (SOC) as a potential framework. Key findings and implications: Some of ...

OBJECTIVE: To develop a conceptual framework for the design of an in-home monitoring system (IMS) based on the requirements of older adults with vision impairment (VI), informal caregivers and eye-care rehabilitation professionals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Concept mapping, a mixed-methods statistical research tool, was used in the construction of the framework. ...

In this paper we discuss the design and development of TRAK (Taxonomy for RehAbilitation of Knee conditions), an ontology that formally models information relevant for the rehabilitation of knee conditions. TRAK provides the framework that can be used to collect coded data in sufficient detail to support epidemiologic studies so ...

Gait retraining programs are prescribed to assist in the rehabilitation process of many clinical conditions. Using lateral trunk lean modification as the model, the aim of this study was to assess the concurrent validity of kinematic data recorded using a marker-based 3D motion analysis (3DMA) system and a low-cost alternative, ...

To enable automated analysis of rehabilitation movements, an approach for accurately identifying and segmenting movement repetitions is required. This paper proposes an approach for on-line, automated segmentation and identification of movement segments from continuous time-series data of human movement, obtained from body-mounted inertial measurement units or from motion capture data. ...

ABSTRACT This article describes the conceptual basis and key elements of a transdisciplinary model for solution-focused coaching in pediatric rehabilitation (SFC-peds). The model exemplifies a strengths-based, relational, and goal-oriented approach to clinical practice. It provides a distinct shift from a problem-oriented, therapist-directed approach to a possibilities-oriented approach where client empowerment ...

Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is a collection of statistical techniques used to determine the degree to which a proposed theoretical model is supported by data. SEM has been growing in various disciplines as well as in rehabilitation research. It is the goal of this introduction to provide a conceptual overview ...

BACKGROUND: Adults with vision and hearing loss, or dual sensory loss (DSL), present with a wide range of needs and abilities. This creates many challenges when attempting to set the most appropriate and equitable funding levels. Case-mix (CM) funding models represent one method for understanding client characteristics that correlate with ...

OBJECTIVE: The main purpose of this research is the novel use of artificial metaplasticity on multilayer perceptron (AMMLP) as a data mining tool for prediction the outcome of patients with acquired brain injury (ABI) after cognitive rehabilitation. The final goal aims at increasing knowledge in the field of rehabilitation theory ...

Abstract Objective: This study aimed at developing and validating the Perceived Rehabilitation Needs Questionnaires for Caregivers of people with schizophrenia (PRNQ-C). Methods: The items of PRNQ-C were generated based on focus group discussion and literature review. A validation study was conducted to examine its psychometric properties among 98 caregivers who ...

Abstract Purpose: To identify and analyse tools and methods that have been reported in the literature for the monitoring and evaluation of community-based rehabilitation (CBR) programmes. Method: A literature review and descriptive analysis were carried out to scope CBR monitoring and evaluation methods and tools. A search was conducted using ...

Automatic seizure detection is significant for long-term monitoring of epilepsy, as well as for diagnostics and rehabilitation, and can decrease the duration of work required when inspecting the EEG signals. In this study we propose a novel method for feature extraction and pattern recognition of ictal EEG, based upon empirical ...

This article is part of a more comprehensive qualitative study which used grounded theory and symbolic interactionism as theoretical and methodological frameworks, resulting in the theoretical model entitled, Between suffering and hope: rehabilitation of urinary incontinence as an intervenient component. In order to communicate all the knowledge produced, part of ...

Foley catheterization (FC) is known to result in complications. Validated checklists are central to teaching/assessing procedural skills and may result in improved health care quality. The results of the first step of the validation of male and female FC checklists are described. A comprehensive literature review of articles published on ...

In this editorial, what is understood of the definition and function of the human core is discussed; presented in the context of evolution and holistic human modeling. It appears likely from this understanding of neural phenomena such as central sensitization, neural facilitation/inhibition, tonic and phasic motoneuron excitatory thresholds and viscerosomatic ...

Trunk mobility impairment can cause balance, postural and gait challenges during overground level walking in patients with different pathologies. Assessment of the rotations of the trunk during walking with an abnormal gait can provide knowledge required for a better understanding of the nature of the motor control deficit and support ...

OBJECTIVE: To provide evidence of construct validity for the FIM® instrument in the inpatient rehabilitation burn population. DESIGN: Confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory were used to assess construct validity. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed on a two factor model of the FIM® instrument, and on a six subfactor ...

Obese individuals are frequent targets of weight-based discrimination, particularly in the employment setting. Victims of weight discrimination have sought legal restitution like others who have suffered from different forms of discrimination. However, in the vast majority of the United States, body weight is not a protected class and weight-based employment ...

Rehabilitation is often required after stroke, surgery, or degenerative diseases. It has to be specific for each patient and can be easily calibrated if assisted by human-computer interfaces and virtual reality. Recognition and tracking of different human body landmarks represent the basic features for the design of the next generation ...

This study aimed at the real-time estimation of the lower-limb joint and torso kinematics during a squat exercise, performed in the sagittal plane, using a single inertial measurement unit placed on the lower back. The human body was modeled with a three-degrees-of-freedom planar chain. The planar IMU orientation and vertical ...

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the UK FIM + FAM. Methods: (a) A systematic literature review integrating the evidence for psychometric qualities of both the original and UK versions, and (b) exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of admission/discharge data from an inpatient general neuro-rehabilitation cohort using parametric and non-parametric ...

The recording of human movement is an essential requirement for biomechanical, clinical, and occupational analysis, allowing assessment of postural variation, occupational risks, and preventive programs in physical therapy and rehabilitation. The flexible electrogoniometer (EGM), considered a reliable and accurate device, is used for dynamic recordings of different joints. Despite these ...

River science and management can be conducted at a range of spatiotemporal scales from reach to basin levels as long as the project goals and questions are matched correctly with the study design's spatiotemporal scales and dependent variables. These project goals should also incorporate information on the hydrogeomorphically patchy nature ...

OBJECTIVES:: This study investigated the application of the transtheoretical (stages-of-change) model in audiologic rehabilitation. More specifically, it described the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA) scores of adults with acquired hearing impairment. It reported the psychometric properties (construct, concurrent, and predictive validity) of the stages-of-change model in this population. ...

ABSTRACT: Several new approaches for treatment of Central Nervous System (CNS) disorders are currently under investigation, including the use of rehabilitation training strategies, which are often combined with electrical and/or pharmacological modulation of spinal locomotor circuitries. While these approaches show great promise in the laboratory setting, there still exists a ...

Abstract Purpose: This study explored therapists' attitudes to and strategies for developing client-centred approaches in relation to the provision of mobility devices. Method: Four physiotherapists and eight occupational therapists in a Swedish municipality context were interviewed according to a semi-structured interview guide. Data collection and analysis were guided by a ...

Walking ability, though important for quality of life and participation in social and economic activities, can be adversely affected by neurological disorders, such as Spinal Cord Injury, Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis or Traumatic Brain Injury. The aim of this study is to evaluate if the energy cost of walking (CW), in ...

The clinical worksite constitutes a naturally clustered environment, posing challenges in the statistical analysis of quality improvement interventions such as computerized decision support. Ignoring clustering in the analysis may lead to biased effect estimates, underestimating the variance and hence type I errors. This paper presents a secondary analysis on data ...

Aphasia is one of the most striking cognitive sequels of strokes and other cerebral lesions, and attempts to rehabilitate aphasic patients have been undertaken for many years. Following a brief overview of the epidemiology and the clinical characteristics of aphasia, the chapter presents the major traditional approaches to rehabilitation. They ...

Introduction: Limitations in performing activities of daily living (ADL) are important indicators of health and overall wellness, yet relatively few studies specifically identify the ADL abilities of people living with HIV/AIDS (PHAs). Given the wide range of abilities and ages of PHAs, there is an urgent need to utilize an ...

Many survivors of stroke experience arm impairments, which can severely impact their quality of life. Forcing use of the impaired arm appears to improve functional recovery in post-stroke hemiplegic patients, however the mechanisms underlying improved recovery remain unclear. Animal models of post-stroke rehabilitation could prove critical to investigating such mechanisms, ...

The objective of this study was to further develop the Ida Institute model on communication partners' (CPs) journey through experiences of person with hearing impairment (PHI), based on the perspectives of CPs. Nine CPs of hearing aid users participated in this study, recruited through the Swansea hearing impaired support group. ...

Automating documentation of physical activity data (e.g., duration and speed of walking or propelling a wheelchair) into the electronic medical record (EMR) offers promise for improving efficiency of documentation and understanding of best practices in the rehabilitation and home health settings. Commercially available devices which could be used to automate ...

The paper describes a tele-rehabilitation system for simultaneous motor rehabilitation (post-stroke and post-arthroscopy) and continuous patient's condition assessment with the focus on patient safety observations. Micro-electro-mechanical accelerometer and gyroscope sensors attached to the patient gather information about the performed therapeutic exercises. The measurement data processing of the vital sign sensors ...

VALID RESEARCH ON NEGLECT REHABILITATION DEMANDS A STATISTICAL APPROACH COMMENSURATE WITH THE CHARACTERISTICS OF NEGLECT REHABILITATION DATA: neglect arises from impairment in distinct brain networks leading to large between-subject variability in baseline symptoms and recovery trajectories. Studies enrolling medically ill, disabled patients, may suffer from missing, unbalanced data, and small ...

A diagnostic platform for the early functional assessment of post-stroke patients was designed in order to perform isometric measurements during activities of daily living (ADL) tasks. The outcome of these measurements can contribute to verify the integrity of a post-stroke existing or altered "internal model" for a particular functional task. ...

Discourse analysis following the work of Michel Foucault has become a valuable methodology in the critical analysis of a broad range of topics relating to health. However, it can be a daunting task, in that there seems to be both a huge number of possible approaches to carrying out this ...

The aim of this study was to analyze the voice quality of alaryngeal tracheoesophageal and esophageal speech, and to determine which of them is more similar to laryngeal voice production, and thus more acceptable as a rehabilitation method of laryngectomized persons. Objective voice evaluation was performed on a sample of ...

To examine associations of patient characteristics along with treatment quantity delivered by seven clinical disciplines during inpatient spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation with outcomes at rehabilitation discharge and 1-year post-injury. Six inpatient SCI rehabilitation centers enrolled 1376 patients during the 5-year SCIRehab study. Clinicians delivering standard care documented details of ...

BACKGROUND: and purpose. Augmenting changes in recovery is core to the rehabilitation process following a stroke. Hence it is essential that outcome measures are able to detect change as it occurs, a property known as responsiveness. This article critically reviewed the responsiveness of functional outcome measures following stroke, specifically examining ...

Objective: To examine the multivariate association between a model of self-perceived non-motor aspects and disability in cervical dystonia. Design: A prospective and correlational design with two points of assessment. Subjects: All 273 members with cervical dystonia from the Swedish Dystonia Patient Association were invited to participate. Methods: Data were collected ...

Legibility is important for functional, handwritten communication. Deficits in legibility can impair occupational performance following stroke or trauma. Few instruments are available to assess adult handwriting legibility during rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to compare inter-rater reliability of a new four-point legibility rating instrument with two existing instruments, ...

Purpose: Casemix models for funding activity in health care and assessing performance depend on data based on uniformity of resource utilisation. It has long been an ideal to relate the measure of value more to patient outcome than output. A problem frequently expressed by clinicians is that measures of activity ...

Pervasive healthcare is beginning to investigate how novel sensory technologies can be used to measure body movements and provide various forms of feedback. This position paper reflects on a blended design approach that uses a combination of technology inspiration, consultation with experts and user-centred design for the development of a ...

After an amputation, processes of change in the body image as well as a change in body scheme have direct influences on the quality of living in every patient. Within this paper, a paradigm of experimental induced body illusion (the Rubber Hand Illusion, RHI) is integrated in a prosthetic hardware ...

Human gait is an important indicator of health, with applications ranging from diagnosis, monitoring, and rehabilitation. In practice, the use of gait analysis has been limited. Existing gait analysis systems are either expensive, intrusive, or require well-controlled environments such as a clinic or a laboratory. We present an accurate gait ...

The Microsoft Kinect camera is becoming increasingly popular in many areas aside from entertainment, including human activity monitoring and rehabilitation. Many people, however, fail to consider the reliability and accuracy of the Kinect human pose estimation when they depend on it as a measuring system. In this paper we compare ...

One of the obstacles in the development of rehabilitation robotics has been inadequacy in the measurement of treatment effects due to interventions. A measurement tool that will efficiently produce a large reliable sample of measurements collected during a single session that can also produce a rich set of data which ...

For rehabilitative devices to restore functional movement to paralyzed individuals, user intent must be determined from signals that remain under voluntary control. Tracking eye movements is a natural way to learn about an intended reach target and, when combined with just a small set of electromyograms (EMGs) in a probabilistic ...