Disability and rehabilitation
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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.
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To determine the predictive value of age, stroke severity and caregiver availability for discharge destination of individuals with severe stroke following inpatient rehabilitation. ⋯ Age, admission FIM® and caregiver availability were significant predictors of post-rehabilitation discharge destination. Results of this study suggest that for individuals with severe stroke, discharge home is unlikely in the absence of an available caregiver. Implications for Rehabilitation Age, stroke severity at admission and the availability of a caregiver play an important role in determining post rehabilitation discharge destination of individuals with severe stroke. These factors must be considered to assist with appropriate goal setting and discharge planning during inpatient rehabilitation.
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Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a major cause of disability in older adults. However, there is limited research on the daily experience of living with knee OA. We aimed to offer insight into the beliefs of patients with knee OA about their illness and treatment. ⋯ People with knee OA place pain at the core of their living, and hold beliefs about knee OA being an incurable disease of a progressive nature, linked to specific causal factors. People with OA have concerns and worries about use of medication to control pain, and are ambivalent towards relying on medical or surgical interventions. Exploring and addressing patient illness beliefs and treatment expectations may help improve concordance with and outcomes from intervention.
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To explore the perceptions of people with low back pain (LBP) treated within the Spanish National Health Service, and their experience while undergoing a new evidence-based treatment ("neuroreflexotherapy"). ⋯ Southern European LBP patients have similar perceptions to those in other cultural settings. LBP jeopardizes patients' QoL and self-esteem. When pain improves significantly, patients are happy to acknowledge it and resume their normal life. Implications for Rehabilitation People with low back pain (LBP) want to be treated with respect and empathy by clinicians who inspire confidence and refrain from judging them. When faced with a new evidence based treatment, people with subacute and chronic LBP are hopeful, but apprehensive. Most of those who experience a clinically meaningful improvement after treatment are happy to acknowledge it and resume an active and fulfilling life. People who report no improvements after being treated, should be believed.
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To explore the goal-related strategies employed by people following lower limb amputation using a framework based on the dual-process model of adaptive self-regulation. ⋯ The findings point towards key assimilative/goal pursuit and accommodative/goal adjustment strategies that may be adaptive following lower limb amputation. The study highlights the potential usefulness of the dual-process model in understanding how individuals adapt to functional disability, while bringing to light issues warranting further explication within this framework. Implications for Rehabilitation People adopt specific adaptive goal pursuit and goal adjustment strategies in response to goal disruptions following limb loss. Being aware of the processes involved in regulating goals in response to challenges is useful for understanding adjustment to limb loss. Greater understanding of adaptive and maladaptive goal strategies may help the rehabilitation team to foster positive outcomes in people with lower limb amputation.