The acute care physical therapy HIV/AIDS patient population: a descriptive study.

This study was based on an analysis of an existing database compiled from 475 medical records of people living with HIV/AIDS admitted to an acute-care hospital in New York City in 2004. The characteristics of patients with HIV infection that received physical therapy were determined. Differences between patients with HIV infection that did and did not receive physical therapy, as well as predictors of receipt of physical therapy, were identified. The physical therapy subgroup (n = 69) had a mean age of 48.3 years, consisted of more men than women, and was predominately black, with public health insurance. Admissions were commonly due to non-AIDS-defining illness as the primary diagnoses, accompanied by several comorbidities. Admissions often presented with functional deficits, incurred a prolonged length of stay, and required assistance at discharge. Differences existed between the physical therapy subgroup and the non-physical therapy subgroup (n = 406). Predictors of receipt of physical therapy were functional status on admission and length of stay.

The roles, barriers and experiences of rehabilitation therapists in disaster relief: post-earthquake Haiti 2010.

PURPOSE: This article describes the roles and experiences of rehabilitation therapists involved in disaster relief work (DRW) in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. The results of a pilot study and phenomenological study are presented. METHOD: A phenomenological study of rehabilitation providers' experiences in post-disaster relief care is presented along with preliminary pilot study results. The phenomenological study explored the experiences of therapists from a lived experience perspective through the roles they played in DRW. RESULTS: Participants provided disaster relief through direct patient care, adaptive equipment sourcing and allocation, education and training, community outreach and logistic or administrative duties. Barriers and challenges included: (1) emotions: ups and downs; (2) challenges: working at the edge of practice; (3) education: key to success and sustainability; (4) lessons learned: social responsibility is why we go; and (5) difficulty coming home: no one understands. CONCLUSIONS: Therapists play a key role in disaster relief situations. Data presented should encourage organizations to include therapists from early planning to implementation of relief services. Further studies are needed to evaluate the impact of rehabilitation interventions in disaster settings. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: Understanding the roles and experiences of therapists in disaster relief setting is important Certain barriers to providing care in post-disaster settings exist Those participating in disaster response should be well prepared and aware of that they might be asked to do.