Bestandsaufnahme und Zukunft der Rehabilitationsforschung in Deutschland

[From the Oncological Rehabilitation Clinic to the Place of Residence - Interface Analysis Considering Exercise Intervention]

PURPOSE

This study analyzes the transfer of knowledge and information of exercise and physical activity after cancer therapy in rehabilitation clinics and rehabilitative cancer sports groups in Germany. Moreover, the way of referral into rehabilitative cancer sports groups is evaluated. A possible cooperation between rehabilitation clinics and rehabilitative cancer sports groups is also examined.

METHODS

A survey concept including 2 successive cross sectional analyses was applied using self-designed questionnaires. According to defined inclusion criteria oncological rehabilitation clinics were selected for the first survey (2015). Based on the results, the second survey (2018) was conducted within rehabilitative cancer sports groups using an online survey.

RESULTS

33 rehabilitation clinics with 44,828 patients treated (in 2014) as well as 126 cancer sports groups with 1,896 rehabilitative cancer sports group participants were included. 99% of patients in rehabilitation clinics had been informed about exercise and physical activity in the aftercare. 18% of the rehabilitative cancer sports groups were cooperating/in contact with oncological rehabilitation clinics, while 57% of the rehabilitation clinics provided contact information of the rehabilitation sports groups leaders at the patients' hometown. 78% of rehabilitation clinic patients received individual exercise recommendations for home-based exercise, while only 23% of the rehabilitative cancer sports groups participants' had received those recommendations prior to participation in this groups, according to the cancer sports group leaders.

CONCLUSION

The results are diverse: The rehabilitative cancer sports groups participants present a lower level of information and opposing prescriptions compared to the patients in rehabilitation clinics, according to the responding clinics and groups. This could be due to the fact that most patients are referred to rehabilitative cancer sports groups by specialists and general practitioners, and only few of them attended a rehabilitation clinic before, where comprehensive information is available. The implementation of a nationwide network including rehabilitative cancer sports groups, rehabilitation clinics and specialists/general practitioners could optimize cancer care in terms of quality as well as quantity.

[Not Available]

Zusammenfassung. Reha-Forschung ist die Methode, um die Wirkung der diversen Interventionen, die in der Rehabilitation angewendet werden, zu testen. Um dieses anspruchsvolle Ziel zu erreichen, ist die muskuloskelettale Rehabilitation auf Grundlagenforschung, klinische Forschung und Versorgungsforschung angewiesen. Die Rehabilitationsforschung in der Schweiz sieht sich jedoch mit grossen Herausforderungen und mehreren Barrieren konfrontiert. Insgesamt lässt sich feststellen, dass es keine kohärenten und schweizweit akzeptierten Standards für die systematische Integration aktueller Forschungsergebnisse in die konkrete Reha-Praxis gibt. Als anwendungsbezogenen Handlungsbedarf in der Reha-Forschung in der Schweiz schlagen die Autoren u.a. die Entwicklung einer nationalen Agenda für Reha-Forschung und die Bildung von nationalen Forschungsnetzwerken unter Einbezug der Grundversorger, der Hochschulen, der Rehakliniken und Patientenorganisationen vor.

A web-based intervention to promote applications for rehabilitation: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background

The German welfare system follows the principle “rehabilitation rather than pension,” but more than the half of all disability pensioners did not utilize medical rehabilitation before their early retirement. A major barrier is the application procedure. Lack of information about the opportunity to utilize rehabilitation services restricts the chance to improve work ability and to prevent health-related early retirement by rehabilitation programs. The establishment of new access paths to medical rehabilitation services was, therefore, identified as a major challenge for rehabilitation research in a recent expertise. Thus, a web-based information guide was developed to support the application for a medical rehabilitation program.

Methods/Design

For this study, the development of a web-based information guide was based on the health action process approach. Four modules were established. Three modules support forming an intention by strengthening risk perception (module 1), positive outcome expectancies (module 2) and self-efficacy (module 3). A fourth module aims at the realization of actual behavior by offering instructions on how to plan and to push the application process. The study on the effectiveness of the web-based information guide will be performed as a randomized controlled trial. Persons aged 40 to 59 years with prior sick leave benefits during the preceding year will be included. A sample of 16,000 persons will be randomly drawn from the registers of 3 pension insurance agencies. These persons will receive a questionnaire to determine baseline characteristics. Respondents of this first survey will be randomly allocated either to the intervention or the control group. Both study groups will then receive letters with general information about rehabilitation. The intervention group will additionally receive a link to the web-based information guide. After 1 year, a second survey will be conducted. Additionally, administrative data will be used to determine if participants apply for rehabilitation and finally start a rehabilitation program. The primary outcomes are the proportion of applied and utilized medical rehabilitation services. Secondary outcomes are cognitions on rehabilitation, self-rated work ability, health-related quality of life and perceived disability, as well as days with sick leave benefits and days of regular employment.

Discussion

The randomized controlled trial will provide highest ranked evidence to clarify whether theory-driven web-based information supports access to rehabilitation services for people with prior sickness benefits.

Trial registration

German Clinical Trials Register (Identifier: DRKS00005658, 16 January 2014).

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13063-015-0968-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Die Bedeutung der Rehabilitation für die Versorgung chronisch Kranker

Das Gesundheitsversorgungssystem basiert auf drei Säulen: der Gesundheitsvorsorge, der Behandlung und der Rehabilitation, wobei letztere als medizinische Maßnahme (Leistungen der medizinischen Rehabilitation), berufsbezogene Maßnahme (Leistungen zur Teilhabe am Arbeitsleben) oder soziale Maßnahme (Leistungen zur Teilhabe am Leben in der Gemeinschaft) durchgeführt werden kann. Die Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO, www.who.org) bezeichnet die Rehabilitation von Personen mit Behinderungen als einen Prozess, der das Ziel verfolgt, den Betroffenen zu ermöglichen, ihr optimales physisches, sensorisches, intellektuelles, psychisches und soziales Funktionsniveau zu erreichen und aufrecht zu erhalten.

[Changes in medical rehabilitation of the German Statutory Pension Insurance Scheme]

Medical rehabilitation in Germany has changed continuously since its inception following the Bismarck Legislation. This article describes its development up until the millennium and discusses quantitative and qualitative changes that followed. Central quantitative changes are demonstrated using the examples of rehabilitation utilization, spectrum of diseases, setting, and postacute rehabilitation. Important qualitative changes in medical rehabilitation pertain to the significance of research for the advancement of rehabilitation, the emphasis on work-related problems in rehabilitative concepts, patient orientation as a new paradigm, integration of rehabilitation into the health system, and prevention. The article ends with an outlook on future developments, such as the anticipated increase in rehabilitation need due to demographic changes and extended working life. Changes in the work environment lead to complex requirements for the development of rehabilitation. In view of increasingly scarce resources, continuous adaptation of rehabilitation concepts is mandatory to maintain health and earning capacity of the population.

[Psychological comorbidity. Diagnosis and indications for further treatment in medical rehabilitation]

Psychosocial comorbidity in somatic disorders is considered an important problem from the epidemiological point of view as well as from the perspective of care. Therefore, the different origins or development are etiologically discussed. In this article, an overview of the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity of musculoskeletal disorders, using chronic back pain in somatic medical rehabilitation as an example, is given. According to the statistics of the German pension insurance fund, musculoskeletal diseases are the most common indication. In this article, the opportunities and the challenges for medical rehabilitation in managing psychosocial comorbidity are discussed. Starting with the description of medical rehabilitation in Germany, the significance of psychosocial comorbidity in medical rehabilitation and the resulting opportunities arising from this special setting to screen for psychological comorbidity are examined. These aspects are discussed based on articles from 2000-2010 in the field of orthopedic inpatient medical rehabilitation. A total of ten studies, focusing on the medical rehabilitation of chronic back pain, were identified. It was found that three papers reported data on the prevalence of psychological comorbidity and addressed diagnostic screening. This is discussed from a perspective that addresses potential barriers on the part of therapists as well as the patients. More attention should be directed to implementing the appropriate screening and follow-up care.

[Rehabilitation instead of nursing care. Current state and future demand of geriatric rehabilitation]

In Germany, the term "rehabilitation instead of nursing care" represents an established legal claim and is also an imperative part within the general concept of comprehensive healthcare provision, reflecting the ongoing demographic and epidemiological developments. This report gives an overview on the rationale, the principles, and organizational conception of geriatric rehabilitation. This is completed by an assessment of existing structures for service provision and future demands of specific geriatric rehabilitation and geriatric care. There are well-established possibilities and facilities to realize the legal claim "rehabilitation instead of nursing care." However, these possibilities have to be further optimized in order to detect need earlier and to make adequate use of the potential resources in the growing number of old-aged persons.