Occupational Therapy After Stroke

This study is the first to isolate the effects on patients’ functional ability of functionally oriented OT as distinct from the effects of nursing or physical therapy.

To determine whether occupational therapy (OT) targeting activities of daily living (ADL) improves functional outcomes for patients after stroke, an international group of investigators performed a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis. The authors included only randomized, controlled trials that compared either no intervention (usual care; 7 trials) or a control intervention (2 trials) with OT interventions focused on ADL, delivered at home or in an ambulatory clinic by qualified occupational therapists. The studies enrolled more than 1000 stroke patients and were performed in the U.K. or Hong Kong. All examined the effects of OT at up to 12 months after hospital discharge.

Patients who received OT were significantly more indepe…

Reviewing Author

Joanne Borg-Stein, MD

Occupational Therapy After Stroke

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Reviewing Author