Disability and rehabilitation
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The recent introduction of master's level curricula for Occupational Therapy (OT) and Physiotherapy (PT) training programs in Canada raises both challenges and opportunities to address ethical issues during professional training. This study evaluated the inclusion of ethics content in course descriptions and course calendars in order to develop a preliminary understanding of how rehabilitation ethics is taught in Canadian universities. ⋯ With the growing recognition and status of OT and PT in the healthcare system, and corresponding shifts in how professionals are being trained, it is crucial to assess and reflect upon the place accorded to and manner of teaching ethics. Implications for Rehabilitation Ethics training in rehabilitation programs With the evolving recognition of OT and PT professions within the healthcare system, and corresponding shifts in how future professionals are trained, it is crucial to assess the place accorded to teaching ethics. In Canadian OT and PT programs, ethics content is most commonly included in broad courses related to standards of practice and not in specific ethics courses. Careful attention is needed to ensure that OT and PT students receive sufficient ethics training that is well aligned with their future practice context to support them to competently address the ethical issues that they will encounter in clinical practice. In addition, OT and PT professionals would benefit from the development of continuing education activities that target ethical issues relevant to their practice.
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The Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) is a widely used questionnaire to evaluate the functional impairment of a patient with a disorder of one or both lower extremities. It also can be used to monitor the patient over time and to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention. Nevertheless there is no Spanish version of the LEFS, so the aim of this study was the translation and cross-cultural adaption of the Spanish version of the LEFS and to evaluate its psychometrics properties. ⋯ The Spanish version of the LEFS has been shown to be a valid and reliable tool to assess musculoskeletal dysfunction in the lower extremity that could be used with Spanish speaker population. Implications for Rehabilitation Cross-cultural adaptation of a self-reported questionnaire to evaluate musculoskeletal lower extremity disorders in the Spanish population. To provide Spanish clinicians and physiotherapists a useful tool to assess the lower extremity function. To provide Spanish researchers a valid tool for research on lower extremity function: patient's improvement due to treatment, compare results obtained between populations, treatment.
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Goal setting and patient-centredness are considered fundamental concepts in rehabilitation. However, the best way to involve patients in setting goals remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore patient experiences of goal setting in post-acute stroke rehabilitation to further understanding of its application to practice. ⋯ Stroke patients think about goals very differently from health professionals. Individual patients have diverse ideas about goals within the context of the uncertainty of stroke, their life as a whole and recovery after formal rehabilitation is completed. To meet these diverse needs, health professionals need to communicate fully with patients to gain an understanding of their experiences of stroke and wider views on goals.
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After stroke, physical activity and physical fitness levels are low, impacting on health, activity and participation. It is unclear how best to support stroke survivors to increase physical activity. Little is known about the barriers and facilitators to physical activity after stroke. Thus, our aim was to explore stroke survivors' perceived barriers and facilitators to physical activity. ⋯ Physical activity post stroke can improve physical fitness and function, yet physical activity remains low among stroke survivors. Understanding stroke survivors' perceived barriers and facilitators to physical activity is essential to develop targeted interventions to increase physical activity. Beliefs about capabilities, environmental context and resources and social influences were the mostly commonly report influences on stroke survivors' perceived barriers and facilitators to physical activity.
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Patients with a neuromuscular disease (NMD) can present with dysarthria and/or dysphagia. Literature regarding prevalence rates of dysarthria and dysphagia is scarce. The purpose of this study was to determine prevalence rates, severity and co-presence of dysarthria and dysphagia in adult patients with NMD. ⋯ The prevalence rates of dysarthria and dysphagia among patients with various types of NMD are high. Physicians should therefore be aware of this prevalence and consider referring NMD patients to a speech-language pathologist. IMPLICATONS OF REHABILITATION: Both dysarthria and dysphagia are highly prevalent among patients with neuromuscular diseases; moreover, although often mild, these disorders can occur relatively early in the course of the disease. Clinicians should routinely check for signs and symptoms related to dysarthria and/or dysphagia in patients who present with a neuromuscular disease, preferably using standardised instruments.