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Who should have a pre–discharge home assessment visit after a stroke? A qualitative study of occupational therapists' views

Whitehead, Phillip J.; Fellows, Karen Rachael; Sprigg, Nikola; Walker, Marion F.; Drummond, Avril E.R.

Who should have a pre–discharge home assessment visit after a stroke? A qualitative study of occupational therapists' views Thumbnail


Authors

Phillip J. Whitehead

Karen Rachael Fellows

NIKOLA SPRIGG nikola.sprigg@nottingham.ac.uk
Professor of Stroke Medicine

Marion F. Walker

AVRIL DRUMMOND avril.drummond@nottingham.ac.uk
Professor of Healthcare Research



Abstract

Introduction:
The number of patients who have a pre-discharge home assessment visit following a stroke has been reported to vary nationally. The purpose of this research was to explore the factors influencing occupational therapists' decisions to complete such visits.

Method:
Semi-structured interviews were completed with 20 senior occupational therapists working with stroke in-patients, from a range of urban and rural locations in the United Kingdom. The interviews explored their views about those patients for whom a pre-discharge home assessment visit would and would not be required. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis.

Findings:
Three themes were identified: the patient's level of physical, cognitive, or perceptual impairment and its impact on performance in activities of daily living; factors relating to the patient's home environment, including the availability of support within the home environment; and other influences on occupational therapists. The presence of a cognitive impairment was a particularly important factor.

Conclusions:
Occupational therapists balanced aspects from each of these themes in order to determine whether a visit was needed or not. Although the level of impairment was important, the most dependent patients were not necessarily those believed to be the most likely to need a visit.

Citation

Whitehead, P. J., Fellows, K. R., Sprigg, N., Walker, M. F., & Drummond, A. E. (2014). Who should have a pre–discharge home assessment visit after a stroke? A qualitative study of occupational therapists' views. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 77(8), https://doi.org/10.4276/030802214X14071472109752

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Nov 13, 2013
Publication Date Aug 15, 2014
Deposit Date Jul 5, 2017
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal British Journal of Occupational Therapy
Print ISSN 0308-0226
Electronic ISSN 1477-6006
Publisher SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 77
Issue 8
DOI https://doi.org/10.4276/030802214X14071472109752
Keywords Pre-discharge home assessment visits, stroke rehabilitation
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/734177
Publisher URL http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.4276/030802214X14071472109752