The Meaning of Occupation for Adults With Advanced Cancer: A Scoping Review.

IMPORTANCE: In this scoping review, we explore the meaning of occupation for people with advanced cancer to develop and improve occupation-based services in oncology. OBJECTIVE: To identify the meaning(s) of occupation for adults with advanced cancer through relevant peer-reviewed literature. DATA SOURCES: Scopus, CINAHL, Medline, and PubMed were used to identify peer-reviewed articles published between 2011 and 2021. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA COLLECTION: Inclusion criteria comprised research studies in English and on meaningful occupations as well as participants age 19 yr or older and diagnosed with advanced cancer. Exclusion criteria comprised non-English publications, studies with participants in an early stage of cancer, and gray literature or nonreviewed articles. FINDINGS: Thirteen articles matched the inclusion criteria: 9 qualitative studies, 1 mixed-methods study, 1 case study, 1 pilot study (pretest-posttest design), and 1 retrospective study (review of clinical data). Four themes emerged from the thematic analysis: occupation benefits important relationships and connections with others, occupation as a source of physical or psychological comfort, managing one's identity through occupation, and occupation as a religious expression. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This scoping review highlights the value of participating in an occupation for people with advanced cancer. It also shows the importance of meaningful occupations to the quality of life and well-being of adults with advanced cancer. What This Article Adds: This scoping review identifies meanings of occupation linked to the health and well-being of adults with advanced cancer to develop and improve occupation-based services in oncology.

Occupational Therapy to Improve Activities of Daily Living of People With Parkinson's Disease.

Evidence Connection articles are offered by the American Occupational Therapy Association's Evidence-Based Practice Program to inform and assist occupational therapy practitioners in methods that translate findings from the literature into usable knowledge for daily practice. These articles can guide professional reasoning and help practitioners operationalize findings from systematic reviews into practical strategies that can improve patient outcomes and support evidence-based practice. This Evidence Connection article is based on findings from a systematic review of interventions within the scope of occupational therapy practice to improve performance with activities of daily living (ADLs) for adults with Parkinson's disease (Doucet et al., 2021). In this article, we present a case study of an older adult with Parkinson's disease. We discuss suggested evaluation tools and intervention strategies that might be used as part of occupational therapy to address limitations and meet his desired needs for improved participation in ADLs. A client-centered, evidence-based plan was constructed for this case.

Understanding home modification outcomes from the perspective of older people and people with a disability: informing home modification evaluation.

PURPOSE: There is limited evidence to guide therapists in home modification outcome evaluation. Involving consumers in evaluating home modifications is critical to progressing practice. This study investigated the home modification experience and outcomes most valued by older adults and individuals with a disability in Australia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An interpretive description approach was used. Twenty participants aged 24-93 who had received major home modifications were interviewed and transcripts were analysed thematically. RESULTS: Two major themes emerged: life before and during modifications - "it was all hard," and life after modifications - "to have a life." People's prior experience of home, the circumstance of and time to plan modifications, the perceived value of the modifications, and the home modification process and funding influenced perceptions of outcomes. Valued home modification outcomes included those that enable people to experience emotional and physical health, and safety; do what they want; maintain the image of the home; and plan for the future. Experiences and perceptions of modifications ranged from supportive to disruptive. CONCLUSIONS: These findings point to the need for therapists to deeply understand and evaluate their clients' experiences of home and life as an initial and critical step in the home modification process.Implications for rehabilitationMajor home modifications result in broad and meaningful outcomes of importance to clients.Occupational therapists need to partner with clients to understand their life before and during modifications to achieve positive outcomes.Evaluation of major home modifications needs to be integrated and prioritised in daily practice.

Participatory Methods to Develop Health Education for PW-SCI: Perspectives on Occupational Justice.

Background. Many people with spinal cord injury (PW-SCI) in the Gaza Strip in Palestine are discharged from inpatient rehabilitation with limitations in their ability to meet basic needs, and reach their full potential. There is limited evidence of how clinicians can promote occupational justice for PW-SCI. Purpose. To describe participants' perspectives revealed during a participatory action research (PAR) process used to develop an education manual for PW-SCI in Gaza, using Participatory Occupational Justice as a lens. Methods. Following ethical approval, a four-step PAR design was utilized by eight researchers to co-construct the Spinal Cord Injury Activities of Daily Living-education Manual with 54 participants from SCI rehabilitation settings in Gaza. Qualitative data from eight focus groups were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Findings. Two main themes were evident in the participants' viewpoints: Enabling occupational justice and Removing barriers to occupational justice. Implications. Occupational justice is a central value that needs to be considered when developing occupational therapy educational interventions for this client group. PW-SCI health education may facilitate occupational justice in practical and culturally relevant ways when participatory methods are used to develop educational resources.

Wheelchair-mounted robotic arms: a survey of occupational therapists' practices and perspectives.

PURPOSE: Despite the benefits of wheelchair-mounted robotic arms (WMRAs), occupational therapists are not yet widely involved in the recommendation or implementation of these assistive devices. The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the current practices and perspectives of occupational therapists who had and had not recommended a WMRA on the recommendation, training, and implementation of WMRAs. METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. An online survey was sent to Canadian, European, and American occupational therapists who had or had not worked with WMRAs. Respondents were asked close-ended questions about their experience, role, barriers, motivations, and future needs regarding WMRAs. We compared results between respondents who had and had not recommended WMRAs using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Ninety-three North American and European occupational therapists completed the survey. Of those, 29 (31.2%) had recommended a WMRA, mostly the JACO robotic arm (n = 26, 89.7%) in rehabilitation centres (n = 18, 62.1%). Their perspectives on their role and barriers related to WMRAs were similar to those who had never recommended a WMRA. All respondents recognised the relevance of occupational therapists' contribution, and most reported interest in WMRAs (n = 76, 81.7%). However, many barriers emerged, mainly related to limited funding (n = 49, 76.6%), lack of training and knowledge (n = 38, 59.4%), and resource constraints (n = 37, 54.4%). Future needs identified matched these barriers. CONCLUSION: This survey provides novel insight into occupational therapists' perspectives on WMRAs. It highlights that health professionals need to have easier access to funding, formal training, and resources to support their involvement with WMRAs.Implications for rehabilitationMost occupational therapists are interested in working with WMRAs, considering the potential of these devices to support individuals with upper extremity impairments in their daily activities. They also recognise their unique contribution to the assessment, recommendation, and implementation process among multidisciplinary teams.WMRA recommendation is relevant in various clinical settings and with a wide range of client populations. Nevertheless, it appears that occupational therapists working with adults, in rehabilitation centres or specialised clinics, may have more opportunities to get involved in this process and to attend formal training on this technology, as compared to other settings.Many barriers remain, impeding occupational therapists' role in the recommendation and implementation of WMRAs. Addressing these barriers may increase the number of devices that are successfully adopted and utilised by individuals with upper extremity impairments. In particular, future research and health policies should focus on access to sufficient funding, formal training, and resources for occupational therapists relative to their role in recommending and implementing WMRAs.

The experience of meaningful rehabilitation as perceived by people with chronic pain: A phenomenological study.

BACKGROUND: People with chronic pain may seek rehabilitation to reduce pain and restore productivity and valued roles. Theoretically, a biopsychosocial approach makes rehabilitation more meaningful, however, the limited research on meaningful rehabilitation predominantly describes the perspective of therapists and researchers. The client's perspective of meaningfulness in rehabilitation is lacking. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the experience of meaningfulness in rehabilitation from the perspective of people with chronic pain. METHODS: Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with Australian adults who had chronic pain and recent experience of occupational therapy or physiotherapy. Sampling continued until thematic saturation occurred. Transcripts were coded and analyzed using theory-driven and data-driven thematic analysis. RESULTS: Ten participants (four males; six females) were interviewed. Pain histories ranged from nine months to 20+ years, with conditions such as fibromyalgia or trauma. Three themes from a prior concept analysis were upheld, and a further three data-driven themes emerged. Results indicate that people with chronic pain seek a "genuine connection"; from a therapist who is "credible"; and can become a "guiding partner", and they find rehabilitation meaningful when it holds "personal value"; is "self-defined"; and relevant to their sense of "self-identity". CONCLUSIONS: The genuine connection and guiding partnership with a credible therapist, that is sought by people with chronic pain, may be at odds with aspects of contemporary rehabilitation. Client-defined meaningfulness is an important construct to engage clients in treatment and improve work and other occupational outcomes for people with chronic pain.

Occupational Therapy Practice Guidelines for People With Parkinson's Disease.

IMPORTANCE: Occupational therapy practitioners address the occupational performance and participation needs of people with Parkinson's disease (PD) and their care partners. OBJECTIVE: This Practice Guideline is informed by systematic reviews on the use of occupational therapy interventions to promote participation in occupations for people with PD and to facilitate their caregivers' participation in the caregiver role. This guideline is meant to support practitioners' clinical decision making when working with people with PD and their care partners. METHOD: We examined and synthesized the results of four systematic reviews and integrated those results into clinical recommendations for practice. RESULTS: Thirty-three articles from the systematic reviews served as the basis for the clinical recommendations in this Practice Guideline. Clinical recommendations are provided for interventions that have strong or moderate supporting evidence. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Multidisciplinary, tailored, goal-oriented intervention is recommended for people with PD. Various forms of exercise can be used to improve activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living performance and social participation, and interventions should incorporate health behavior change techniques to support adequate physical activity levels in daily life. Mindfulness meditation and exercise can be used to support sleep, and task-oriented training can be used to improve performance of specific tasks. Occupational therapy practitioners should incorporate self-management, coaching, compensatory, cognitive-behavioral, and other approaches into multicomponent treatment plans depending on the client's needs and goals. Additional potentially appropriate intervention approaches or areas to address are discussed on the basis of existing or emerging evidence and expert opinion. What This Article Adds: This Practice Guideline provides a summary and applications of the current evidence supporting occupational therapy intervention for people with PD. It includes case examples and suggested decision-making algorithms to support practitioners in addressing client goals.

Trastorno del procesamiento sensorial. Una mirada conjunta desde la terapia ocupacional y la otorrinolaringología / Sensory processing disorder. A vision statement from occupational therapy and otolaryngology

Resumen El trastorno del procesamiento sensorial (TPS) es una condición frecuente, pero poco conocida por muchos profesionales de la salud. El procesamiento sensorial se define como la capacidad que posee el sistema nervioso central de interpretar y organizar las sensaciones del propio cuerpo y del ambiente, para su uso efectivo en el entorno mediante respuestas adaptativas. Por lo tanto, cualquier disfunción en el procesamiento (registro, modulación y/o discriminación) de estos estímulos se expresa como una respuesta desadaptativa, siendo significativo cuando esta impacta en la vida diaria del paciente. Es deber del médico sospechar este trastorno, acogiendo al paciente y su familia, derivando oportunamente a terapia ocupacional para su correcta evaluación y eventual manejo de acuerdo con las necesidades de cada paciente.

Abstract Sensory processing disorder (SPD) is an unknown condition for many health care professionals. Sensory processing is defined as the capacity of the central nervous system to interpretate and organize sensations from our own body and from the environment, for their proper use by adaptive responses. Any dysfunction in this processing (registration, modulation and or discrimination) is expressed by a maladaptive response, being considered abnormal when this response has a negative impact in the patient's daily activities. Is our duty as health care workers to suspect this disorder, help our patients and their families by doing a proper referral to an occupational therapist for their evaluation and management, according to each patient needs.

[Late neurological consequences of a SARS-CoV-2 infection]. / Neurologische Spätfolgen einer SARS-CoV-2-Infektion.

BACKGROUND: Persistent neurological late symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection are common and require regular follow-up treatment. In order to establish uniform therapy concepts, it is necessary to evaluate individual therapeutic approaches for long COVID and post-COVID-19 syndrome. ANAMNESE: A 62-year-old patient was admitted to our rehab clinic for follow-up treatment after severe SARS-CoV-2 infection with neurological symptoms. The initially extensive laboratory and imaging investigation did not reveal any organic cause for the sometimes apoplectiform, complex clinical picture, so that the patient was transferred directly to our rehabilitation clinic in the event of everyday restrictions and rollator dependency. EXAMINATION AND FINDINGS: Clinically, there was a reduced general condition and the mood was depressed. Neurological symptoms were gait ataxia, hand tremor, amnesic aphasia and reduced ability to concentrate. PET / CT showed no evidence of tumor or inflammation. THERAPY AND PROGRESS: A multimodal therapy program consisting of physiotherapy and occupational therapy as well as psychological support was carried out. In addition, off-label therapy with oral glucocorticoids and colchicine was initiated. In the course of the disease, there was a clear reduction in all symptoms with little residual hand tremor. CONCLUSIONS: Whole body and brain FDG PET can be helpful in long COVID and post-COVID-19 syndrome patients with neurological symptoms of unknown origin. These patients benefit from systematic rehabilitation. Glucocorticoids and colchicine appear to accelerate symptom reduction. The rehabilitative therapy should be continued on an outpatient basis.

Feasibility and acceptability of the multicontext approach for individuals with acquired brain injury in acute inpatient rehabilitation: A single case series.

The Multicontext (MC) approach, a metacognitive intervention designed to improve awareness, strategy use, and executive functioning, may be beneficial for individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) undergoing acute inpatient rehabilitation. The goal of this study was to provide evidence of feasibility and acceptability of the MC approach and to explore clinical outcomes. A case series of eight individuals with acquired brain injury and at least mild executive functioning impairment were recruited from an acute inpatient rehabilitation unit. The MC approach - involving guided questioning and patient self-generation of strategies practiced across everyday functional cognitive tasks - was implemented within routine occupational therapy. Occupational therapists implemented the MC approach with high adherence to the treatment protocol. Therapists' perceived challenges were the time constraints of inpatient rehabilitation as well as client factors. Participants rated the MC approach as highly satisfying and engaging. They described subjective improvements in their ability to use executive functioning strategies. The MC approach was associated with improvement in awareness, strategy use, and executive functioning at the conclusion of treatment. The MC approach may be a beneficial intervention for individuals with acquired brain injury and executive dysfunction undergoing acute inpatient rehabilitation. Further evaluation with larger samples in controlled trials is warranted.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04363645..

Exploring the Impact of the Occupational Therapy Health and Wellness Program (OT-HAWP) on Performance and the Health-Related Quality of Life of Cancer Survivors.

Creating innovative community-based programs for those living with and beyond cancer has the potential to improve outcomes; however, little has been done to explore these programs with participants that have various cancer diagnoses. We evaluated the impact of a 4-week community Occupational Therapy Health and Wellness Program (OT-HAWP) on self-perceived satisfaction and performance of daily activities, health-related quality of life, sleep quality, and fatigue among adults living with and beyond various cancer diagnoses. An uncontrolled, prospective, one-group pretest-posttest design was used. Participants completed patient reported measures of occupational performance and satisfaction (Canadian Occupational Performance Measure [COPM]), global health related quality of life (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-Global Health [PROMIS® Global Health]), sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]), and the effect of fatigue on activities (Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue [MAF]) before and after the program completion. Data was fully collected on 34 participants with various cancer diagnoses. For all outcomes, there was a statistically significant improvement after participating in the OT-HAWP program. Effect sizes range from small (0.46) to large (1.28). The OT-HAWP has the potential to improve self-reported occupational performance and satisfaction, global health-related quality of life, sleep quality, and fatigue in adults living with and beyond cancer in the community. Efficacy studies exploring community-based interventions are warranted to support legislation for improved access to care.

Robot-assisted training after proximal humeral fracture: A randomised controlled multicentre intervention trial.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether robotic-assisted training as a supplement to usual therapy is safe, acceptable and improves function and patient reported outcome after proximal humeral fractures (PHF). DESIGN: Multicentre, assessor-blinded, randomised controlled prospective trial. SETTING: Three different rehabilitation hospitals in Germany. SUBJECTS: In total 928 PHF patients between 35 and 70 years were screened. Forty-eight participants were included in the study (intervention group n = 23; control group n = 25). INTERVENTION: The control group received usual occupational and physiotherapy over three weeks, and the intervention group received additional 12 robot-assisted training sessions at the ARMEO®-Spring. MAIN MEASURES: Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire (DASH), the Wolf Motor Function Test-Orthopaedic, active range of motion and grip strength were determined before and after intervention period. The DASH was additionally obtained postal 6 and 13 months following surgery. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 55 ± 10 years and was similar in both groups (p > 0.05). The change in DASH as the primary endpoint in the intervention group after intervention was -15 (CI = 8-22), at follow-up six month -7 (CI = -2 to 16) at follow up 13 month -9 (CI = 1-16); in control group -14 (CI = 11-18), at follow-up six month -13 (CI = 7-19) at follow up 13 month -6 (CI = -3 to 14). No difference in the change was found between groups (p > 0.05). None of the follow-up time points demonstrated an additional benefit of the robotic therapy. CONCLUSION: The additional robot-assisted therapy was safe, acceptable but showed no improvement in functional shoulder outcome compared to usual therapy only.

White matter changes follow low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation plus intensive occupational therapy for motor paralysis after stroke: a DTI study using TBSS.

Intervention that combines low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and intensive occupational therapy (OT) may improve brain function in post-stroke patients with motor paralysis. We aimed to clarify the brain region involved in motor function improvement following chronic stroke. We recruited 25 patients hospitalized for 15 days with post-stroke upper extremity paralysis to receive 12 sessions of low-frequency rTMS over the non-lesioned hemisphere and occupational therapy. In this study, 72% of the patients had suffered from intracranial haemorrhage. Imaging analysis was performed using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to assess changes in white matter after intervention. We investigated white matter change before and after intervention and the relationship between white matter structure and motor function recovery using tract-based spatial statistics. The intra-voxel directional coherence was significantly increased in the anterior limb of the internal capsule and anterior thalamic radiation on the lesional side following intervention. Mean diffusivity and radial diffusivity values of clusters in the superior corona radiata on the lesional side were negatively correlated with motor function recovery. White matter nerve fibre structures are involved in motor function improvement following rTMS and OT interventions. Our results show novel findings regarding the relationship between stroke neurorehabilitation and cerebral nerve structure.

Oficinas de atividades, dinâmicas e projetos em Terapia Ocupacional Social como estratégia para a promoção de espaços públicos / Workshops of activities, dynamics, and projects in Social Occupational Therapy as a strategy to foster public spaces / Talleres de actividades, dinámicas y proyectos en Terapia Ocupacional Social como estrategia para la promoción de espacios públicos

Objetiva-se refletir à luz da teoria de Hannah Arendt sobre oficinas de atividades, dinâmicas e projetos, em Terapia Ocupacional Social, como estratégia na promoção de espaços públicos. Baseia-se na análise de uma experiência de ensino, pesquisa e extensão universitária, durante a qual se realizou objetivação participante das oficinas realizadas semanalmente com jovens pobres, ao longo de um ano. Partindo dos registros em diário de campo e de entrevistas com participantes, realizou-se uma leitura das oficinas como possível fomento à oferta de espaços para a convivência, no exercício da igualdade e da tessitura da sociabilidade diante da pluralidade; da visibilidade de sujeitos em vulnerabilidade social e suas demandas; de liberdade para participação na tomada de decisões e aprendizados acerca da vida coletiva e da cidadania, podendo auxiliar na promoção de espaços públicos para múltiplas vivências sociais. (AU)

The objective is to reflect upon Hannah Arendt's theory on workshops of activities, dynamics, and projects in social occupational therapy as a strategy to foster public spaces. Based on the analysis of a teaching, research, and university extension experience during which the participants of weekly workshops held with poor young people for one year were objectified. Based on field notes and interviews with participants, the workshops were analyzed as a potential promotion of living spaces to practice equality and sociability's interconnection regarding its plurality, visibility of socially vulnerable subjects and their demands, freedom to participate in decision-making processes and learnings regarding collective life and citizenship, being able to help foster public spaces in multiple social experiences. (AU)

El objetivo es reflexionar a la luz de la teoría de Hanna Arendt sobre Talleres de Actividades Dinámicas y proyectos en Terapia Ocupacional Social, como estrategia en la promoción de espacios públicos. Se basa en el análisis de una experiencia de enseñanza, investigación y extensión universitaria, durante la cual se realizó objetivación participante de los Talleres realizados semanalmente con jóvenes pobres en el transcurso de un año. Partiendo de los registros en diario de campo y de entrevistas con participantes, se realizó una lectura de los Talleres como posible fomento a la oferta de espacio para la convivencia, en el ejercicio de la igualdad y de la trama de la sociabilidad ante la pluralidad, de la visibilidad de sujetos en vulnerabilidad social y sus demandas; de libertad para la participación en la toma de decisiones y aprendizajes sobre la vida colectiva de la ciudadanía, pudiendo auxiliar en la promoción de espacios públicos para múltiples vivencias sociales. (AU)

Proteção social e experiências terapêuticoocupacionais: a vida na pandemia de Covid-19 / Protección social y experiencias terapéutico-ocupacionales: la vida en la pandemia de Covid-19 / Social protection and therapeutic-occupational experiences: life during the Covid-19 pandemic

São tecidas neste texto algumas reflexões em torno das respostas que têm sido empreendidas pelos setores da saúde, previdência social e assistência social, que compõem a seguridade social no Brasil, tomando-se a sua centralidade, que deveria ser assumida para o enfrentamento da pandemia causada pelo SARS-Cov-2. Com essa leitura de contexto e com o pressuposto de uma ação profissional para a participação social com autonomia, partilham-se experiências de intervenção em Terapia Ocupacional Social com jovens que vivem em periferias urbanas e, certamente, pobres para o mercado/consumo, mas ricos de vida, na pandemia de Covid-19. O intuito foi produzir um cuidado que se coaduna com a proteção social e se direciona, na defesa do valor inegociável de cada vida e do seu pulsar, para a promoção de uma circulação emancipatória, questão agravada, mas anterior à pandemia e sempre presente entre esses jovens. (AU)

En este texto se tejen algunas reflexiones alrededor de las respuestas que han emprendido los sectores de la salud, previsión social y asistencia social que componen la seguridad social en Brasil, tomando su centralidad, que debería ser asumida para el enfrentamiento de la pandemia causada por el SARS-Cov-2. Con esa lectura de contexto y con el presupuesto de una acción profesional para la participación social con autonomía, se comparten las experiencias de intervención en Terapia Ocupacional Social con jóvenes que viven en periferias urbanas, ciertamente pobres para el mercado/consumo, pero ricos en vida, durante la pandemia de Covid-19. El objetivo fue producir un cuidado que se une con la protección social y se dirige, en la defensa del valor innegociable de cada vida y de su pulsación, hacia la promoción de una circulación emancipadora, cuestión agravada por la pandemia, pero anterior a ella, y siempre presente entre esos jóvenes. (AU)

This text elaborates some reflections regarding the responses that have been undertaken by the sectors: health, social security and social assistance, which make up social security in Brazil. It assumes its centrality, to face the pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. Considering this context and assuming a professional action for social participation with autonomy, we share experiences in Social Occupational Therapy with young people who live in urban peripheries, certainly poor for the market/consumption, but rich in life, in the Covid-19 pandemic. The aim was to produce care that is consistent with social protection and is directed, in defense of the non-negotiable value of each life and of its pulse, towards the promotion of an emancipatory circulation, an issue that existed prior to the pandemic, albeit now aggravated, and always present among this group of young people. (AU)

Efectos de programas interprofesionales terapéuticos basados en el juego para niños con discapacidades del desarrollo / Effects of play-based therapeutic interprofessional programs for children with developmental disabilities

Este trabajo es la continuación de un artículo publicado el año 2020 en la Revista Argentina de Terapia Ocupacional describiendo un programa grupal interprofesional y terapéutico basado en el juego (PITBJ) para niños con discapacidades del desarrollo (Rosin, Saa y Pavone, 2020). El propósito de este articulo es analizar los efectos que tuvo la participación en dos PITBJ en 12 niños de 18 meses a 4 años por medio de dos estudios. El primero, de pre y post prueba, donde 7 niños fueron evaluados en sus habilidades motoras y cognitivas, así como por sus niveles de desarrollo funcional. El segundo utilizó un diseño de caso único, en el que se tomaron 5 medidas de comportamiento discretas a 5 niños en la fase inicial y en la fase de intervención. Los resultados mostraron una tendencia positiva que los PITBJ aumentan los niveles de desarrollo funcional, las habilidades adaptativas, motoras y cognitivas en los niños estudiados y apoya los resultados de estudios similares publicados previamente (Imperatore, Chang, Gutiérrez, & Gunter, 2016 y Acuña, Gutiérrez, e Imperatore, 2020), resaltando la importancia de la detección y la atención temprana utilizando programas con estas características. Mas aún, este estudio da luz a la viabilidad de implementación de los PTIBs en la población de Latinoamérica con resultados positivos.

This work is the continuation of an article published in 2020 in the Argentine Journal of Occupational Therapy describing an interprofessional and therapeutic group program based on play (PITBJ) for children with developmental disabilities (Rosin, Saa and Pavone, 2020). The purpose of this article is to analyze the effects that participation in two PITBJ had on 12 children aged 18 months to 4 years through two studies. The first, a pre and post test study, where 7 children were evaluated on their motor and cognitive skills, as well as their functional development levels. The second used a single case design, in which 5 discrete behavioral measures were taken from 5 children in the initial and in the intervention phase. The results showed a positive trend that the PITBJs increase the levels of functional development, adaptive, motor and cognitive skills in the children studied, and supports the results of similar studies previously published (Imperatore, Chang, Gutiérrez, & Gunter, 2016 and Acuña, Gutiérrez, and Imperatore, 2020), highlighting the importance of early detection and intervention using programs with these characteristics. Furthermore, this study sheds light on the feasibility of implementing PTIBJs in the Latin American population with positive results.

Intervención de terapia ocupacional en niños con dificultades de procesamiento sensorial: un estudio de caso múltiple en una escuela en Paris / Occupational therapy intervention for children with challenges in sensory processing: a multiple case study from a school in Paris

PROPÓSITO: El principal objetivo de este estudio fue describir el proceso y evaluar la eficacia de terapia ocupacional con abordaje de integración sensorial para 3 niños con dificultades de procesamiento sensorial, con el fin de ayudar a desarrollar modelos de practica apropiados en planificación e implementación de la intervención de terapia ocupacional. MÉTODO: Se utilizó un diseño de estudio de casos múltiples. Todos los participantes eran estudiantes de la misma escuela y fueron remitidos a terapia ocupacional debido a dificultades en escritura, torpeza motora y participación en clase. Los participantes recibieron sesiones individuales de 45 minutos de duración. La duración media de la intervención fue de 27 sesiones realizadas una vez por semana en el transcurso del año lectivo. Los niños fueron evaluados antes y después de la intervención con entrevistas a padres y maestros, observaciones clínicas y pruebas estandarizadas. RESULTADOS: Luego de la intervención se observaron mejores resultados en habilidades de desempeño de las evaluaciones estandarizadas Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Segunda Edición (BOT™-2) y Prueba de Desarrollo de la Percepción Visual - Tercera Edición (DTVP-3). Además, se observó mejora en la calidad de la escritura y la participación en los juegos de motricidad gruesa en todos los niños. CONCLUSIÓN: Los resultados de este estudio se adhieren a la literatura en el sentido de que la terapia ocupacional bajo un marco de integración sensorial parece ser un método efectivo para mejorar las habilidades de desempeño y la participación funcional de los niños con desafíos de procesamiento sensorial.

PURPOSE: The main purpose of this study was to describe the process and evaluate the effectiveness of occupational therapy under a sensory integration framework for 3 children with sensory processing challenges, in order to help develop models of good practice in planning and implementation of occupational therapy intervention. METHOD: A Multiple Case Study design was utilized. All participants were students at the same school and were referred to occupational therapy because of concerns with handwriting, clumsiness and class participation. Participants received individual, 45 minutes long intervention sessions. The mean length of intervention was 27 sessions delivered 1 time per week over the course of the academic year. Children were evaluated before and after intervention with parent/teacher interviews, clinical observations and standardized tests. RESULTS: After the intervention all participants obtained higher scores for performance skills in the standardized tests Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edición (BOT™-2) and Developmental Test of Visual Perception ­ Third Edition (DTVP-3). Furthermore, improved handwriting quality and participation on gross motor games was reported for all participants. CONCLUSION: The results of this study adhere to the literature in that occupational therapy under a sensory integration framework seems to be an effective method for enhancing performance skills and functional participation of children with sensory processing challenges.

Patrones de procesamiento sensorial e intervención temprana en niños menores de 3 años: una revisión de la literatura / Sensory processing patterns and early intervention in children under 3 years of age: a review of the literature

La presente revisión se centra en proporcionar una visión general de la literatura que identifica estudios enfocados en definir los patrones de procesamiento sensorial en niños menores de 3 años y los enfoques de intervención identificados en esta población. Durante la última década ha existido un crecimiento constante de la literatura relacionada con el procesamiento sensorial en los niños pequeños, sin embargo, la información disponible entre las diferentes publicaciones es aún limitada y segmentada. En esta revisión se recopilaron 15 artículos sobre los patrones de procesamiento sensorial en los niños pequeños y 10 artículos relacionados con los enfoques de intervención para un total de 25 artículos publicados entre 2007 y 2017. Del análisis de la información obtenida acerca de los patrones de procesamiento sensorial, surgieron los siguientes temas: el diagnóstico y los factores de riesgo, el tipo de disfunción del procesamiento sensorial y el impacto funcional. Entre los temas que surgieron al analizar los enfoques de intervención, se destaca la importancia de la familia como un tema general que abarca subtemas de intervención, tales como: estrategias sensoriales, capacitación de los padres e intervenciones grupales. Si bien es necesario continuar desarrollando investigaciones que amplíen nuestro conocimiento en relación con estos temas en general, la evidencia apoya la efectividad de la intervención temprana.

La presente revisión se centra en proporcionar una visión general de la literatura que identifica estudios enfocados en definir los patrones de procesamiento sensorial en niños menores de 3 años y los enfoques de intervención identificados en esta población. Durante la última década ha existido un crecimiento constante de la literatura relacionada con el procesamiento sensorial en los niños pequeños, sin embargo, la información disponible entre las diferentes publicaciones es aún limitada y segmentada. En esta revisión se recopilaron 15 artículos sobre los patrones de procesamiento sensorial en los niños pequeños y 10 artículos relacionados con los enfoques de intervención para un total de 25 artículos publicados entre 2007 y 2017. Del análisis de la información obtenida acerca de los patrones de procesamiento sensorial, surgieron los siguientes temas: el diagnóstico y los factores de riesgo, el tipo de disfunción del procesamiento sensorial y el impacto funcional. Entre los temas que surgieron al analizar los enfoques de intervención, se destaca la importancia de la familia como un tema general que abarca subtemas de intervención, tales como: estrategias sensoriales, capacitación de los padres e intervenciones grupales. Si bien es necesario continuar desarrollando investigaciones que amplíen nuestro conocimiento en relación con estos temas en general, la evidencia apoya la efectividad de la intervención temprana.

Managing Essential Tremor.

Essential tremor is one of the most common tremor syndromes. According to the recent tremor classification, tremor as a symptom is defined as an involuntary, rhythmic, oscillatory movement of a body part and is classified along two axes: axis 1-defining syndromes based on the clinical features such as historical features, tremor characteristics, associated signs, and laboratory tests; and axis 2-classifying the etiology (Bhatia et al., Mov Disord 33:75-87, 2018). The management of this condition has two major approaches. The first is to exclude treatable etiologies, as particularly during the onset of this condition the presentation of a variety of etiologies can be with monosymptomatic tremor. Once the few etiologies with causal treatments are excluded, all further treatment is symptomatic. Shared decision-making with enabling the patient to knowledgeably choose treatment options is needed to customize the management. Mild to moderate tremor severity can sometimes be controlled with occupational treatment, speech therapy of psychotherapy, or adaptation of coping strategy. First-line pharmacological treatments include symptomatic treatment with propranolol, primidone, and topiramate. Botulinum toxin is for selected cases. Invasive treatments for essential tremor should be considered for severe tremors. They are generally accepted as the most powerful interventions and provide not only improvement of tremor but also a significant improvement of life quality. The current standard is deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the thalamic and subthalamic region. Focused ultrasound thalamotomy is a new therapy attracting increasing interest. Radiofrequency lesioning is only rarely done if DBS or focused ultrasound is not possible. Radiosurgery is not well established. We present our treatment algorithm.

Economic analyses of mental health and substance use interventions in the workplace: a systematic literature review and narrative synthesis.

Mental illness and substance use disorders in the workplace have been increasingly recognised as a problem in most countries; however, evidence is scarce on which solutions provide the highest return on investment. We searched academic and grey literature databases and additional sources for studies that included a workplace intervention for mental health or substance abuse, or both, and that did an economic analysis. We analysed the papers we found to identify the highest yielding and most cost-effective interventions by disorder. On the basis of 56 studies, we found moderate strength of evidence that cognitive behavioural therapy is cost-saving (and in some cases cost-effective) to address depression. We observed strong evidence that regular and active involvement of occupational health professionals is cost-saving and cost-effective in reducing sick leave related to mental health and in encouraging return to work. We identified moderate evidence that coverage for pharmacotherapy and brief counselling for smoking cessation are both cost-saving and cost-effective. Addressing mental health and substance misuse in the workplace improves workers' wellbeing and productivity, and benefits employers' bottom line (ie, profit). Future economic analyses would benefit from the consideration of subgroup analyses, examination of longer follow-ups, inclusion of statistical and sensitivity analyses and discussion around uncertainty, and consideration of potential for bias.