Umeå University's logo

Background: A brachial plexus birth injury (BPBI) can cause reduced ability to use the arm and hand in daily activities due to reduced grip strength and endurance. A soft robotic glove can increase the number of activities performed and improve activity performance for patients with neurological disease. The use of a soft robotic glove for patients with BPBI has not been studied.

Purpose: To investigate if a soft robotic glove can improve activity performance and body function for patients with BPBI.

Study design: Longitudinal Case Series.

Methods: A convenience sample of patients with BPBI, treated by the Brachial plexus injury service in Umeå, Sweden were studied. Eight patients used a soft robotic glove, (Carbonhand®), at home for three months. Data on activity performance and satisfaction with activity performance, active range of motion and strength were collected at baseline, and at three and four months. A patient evaluation form was filled out at three months, all patients kept a diary for three out of 12 weeks.

Results: Six out of eight patients wanted to continue using the device and improved their self-perception of activity performance and satisfaction with the performance due to a more secure grip, compared to when not using the device. All patients had improved maximum strength and endurance in elbow flexion at three months. The device was useful as an assisting device and as a training tool.

Conclusion: A soft robotic glove (Carbonhand) may improve activity performance and perceived satisfaction and increase the number of activities that a person with BPBI can perform in everyday life. It is possible to increase strength in elbow flexion after using such a device. Due to this limited material, more research is needed.

BACKGROUND: General practitioners (GPs) have expressed difficulties in issuing sickness certificates and problems may arise if this work is not performed in an adequate manner. There is scant knowledge about how collaboration with other professions could be organized to enhance this work.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the feasibility of occupational therapists (OTs) performing supplementary assessments for persons on sick leave.

METHODS: Four healthcare centres (HCs) tested a working approach intervention where sick-listed patients were offered a complementary occupational therapy assessment. The OT assessments were intended to provide useful information for GP issued extended sickness certificates. Data on sick leave, sickness certificates and patient questionnaires were collected at different HCs. Interviews were conducted with GPs and OTs and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research was used to analyse the intervention’s implementation.

RESULTS: No major differences in the sickness certificate quality was found. Available data on sick leave increased for all HCs during the project. Not all GPs used the OT assessments, which indicates that the implementation of the intervention was insufficient.

CONCLUSION: Testing a new working approach in primary healthcare requires an implementation strategy. To improve sickness certification quality, this work needs to be prioritized as an important healthcare task.

Background: This case study explores changes in work potential and work performance for ten people who worked before their stroke while participating in the ReWork-Stroke programme. It describes measures performed by the occupational therapists to enhance work potential and work performance and the participants' level of work re-entry nine months after the start of their work trial.

Methods: Ten people who had experienced a mild or moderate stroke participated. Changes were assessed using the Worker Role Interview and the Assessment of Work Performance. Logbooks relating to work potential and work performance were analysed using content analysis.

Results: The participants' work potential was in general supportive to returning to work at baseline and remained so at the three-month follow-up. Most changes occurred in the environmental factors regarding the participants' belief that adaptations at the workplace would make re-entry possible. Changes concerning work performance were predominately in a positive direction. Seven of the participants returned to paid work.

Conclusion: The ReWork-Stroke programme seems promising for promoting changes in work potential, work performance, and return to paid work. However, further studies are needed to evaluate changes in work potential and work performance and the programme's effectiveness for increasing work re-entry for people who have had stroke.

Individual placement and support (IPS) has been found to be an effective intervention for rehabilitation to work in the field of mental health. Being as the principles used in IPS reflect core values in the concept of personal recovery, several other outcomes than just the percentage of clients gaining employment are of interest. The purpose of the study was to describe a number of unique processes and analyze these with a special concern for circumstances perceived as important for the individual IPS process. A collective instrumental case-study design was used and five cases were included. Data from three different sources were collected, both quantitative and qualitative. The findings illustrate how a relationship characterized by curiosity, interest and engagement in the individual client, positive risk-taking and time for reflected experiences resulted in processes of change. It was concluded that providing IPS is a type of specialized relationship-based work that includes advanced problem solving.

AIM: In Sweden, the information in the sickness certificate is crucially important for the sick-listed person as well as for the Swedish Social Insurance Agency and the sick-listed person's employer. The certificate is used as the basis for deciding whether a person is entitled to sickness benefits. Further, it communicates information significant for the return-to-work process. The aim of the study was to evaluate the quality of sickness certificates issued in primary health care and examine if the patients' or physicians' gender influences the information in the sickness certificate.

METHODS: An insurance specialist at the Swedish Social Insurance Agency assessed the quality of the stated information in a sample of 323 certificates issued by 146 different general practitioners at 29 different primary health care centres in northern Sweden.

RESULTS: Thirty-four percent of the certificates did not contain sufficient information requested. The areas of the certificates in need of supplementary information were mainly the descriptions of impairment of body function and activity limitation. More certificates issued for women than certificates issued for men lacked the required information. Full-time sick leave was more often prescribed for male patients than for female. Significant differences between certificates issued for women and certificates issued for men appeared in the group of musculoskeletal diseases. No differences in quality aspects connected to physicians' gender were found.

CONCLUSION: Our study indicates a need for increased knowledge about the descriptions of functioning for sick-listed persons; more cooperation between health professionals in primary health care and a better gender awareness in health care encounters.

BACKGROUND: Sickness absence is a complex phenomenon affected by aspects other than disease. One important factor that can affect sick leave is the individual's experience of healthcare encounters. It is therefore essential to consider the quality of the encounter with health professionals and its impact on the patient's rehabilitation and return to work.

AIM: The aim was to explore how sick-listed patients in Sweden perceive their contact with healthcare professionals in primary healthcare and to analyse what they view as crucial components for returning to work.

METHODS: A qualitative approach was used. Data were collected by semi-structured telephonic interviews with patients who were or had been on sick leave. The transcribed interview text was analysed according to qualitative content analysis.

FINDINGS: The analysis revealed two themes that highlight important areas for persons on sick leave in their healthcare encounters. The theme 'Trust in the relationship' contains categories describing the patients' feelings of participation, and of being believed, confirmed, and listened to, and also dedication on the part of healthcare providers. Healthcare encounters that were characterised by professionalism, knowledge, continuity, and a holistic approach seemed to create trust. The theme 'Structure and balance' contains the participants' views on important factors that could support the return-to-work process. All participants stated the importance of follow-up and a plan for rehabilitation. Sick leave itself can make a person passive, and participants in this study asked for support to balance activity, exercise, and work demands, which could facilitate their return to work.

CONCLUSION: Healthcare professionals can facilitate sick-listed persons' rehabilitation back to work by providing a clear structure in the process and support in occupational balance. The healthcare encounters must build on a mutual trust.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of occupational competence and occupational value among a group of clients engaged in Individual Placement and Support (IPS). Methods: The Occupational Self-Assessment (OSA), based on the Model of Human Occupation, was used with 65 men and women with mental illness, and 45 of these completed the study. Results: Rasch analyses showed that the participants perceived "Managing my finances", "Managing my basic needs", and "Doing activities I like" as the most valued occupations. Most competence was perceived in "Taking care of myself". Among the occupations where the participants perceived least competence, "Getting done what I need to do" and "Accomplishing what I set out to do" were the occupations that most stand out. Significant differences were also found between perceived competence and value in most of the occupations. Conclusions: Beyond those occupations valued as most important among the participants, it is essential also to pay attention to those in which they perceived least competence, as they are important for being able to achieve a desired occupation. Support related to perceptions of occupational competence can contribute to enabling clients in IPS to master a desired working life.