Optimising the development of sustainable internet-based occupational therapy interventions: Important key actions and perspectives to consider

Worldwide Survey on Digital Assistive Technology (DAT) Provision

Occupational therapists have long been involved in assistive technology (AT) provision worldwide. AT is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) to enhance functioning, independence, and autonomy and ultimately promote well-being for people living with disabilities. With the digitalisation of societies, the everyday lives and occupations of individuals are changing, becoming more reliant on digital solutions. The development of digital assistive technology (DAT) also offers opportunities for people with disabilities to access, interact, and pilot the digital world. However, we do not know how occupational therapists are involved in DAT provision worldwide. A survey was conducted in the global occupational therapist's community in June 2022 to describe DAT provision and the factors influencing it. Occupational therapy practitioners were included (n = 660) in the analysis. In DAT provision, occupational therapists mostly provide advice to people, assess their needs, provide instruction or training, prescribe DAT, and fit DAT to people and their environment. The clients served through DAT provision are most frequently people with neurological impairments, chronic illnesses, sensory impairments, and older people. The reasons for providing DAT focus on education, work, school, and leisure. It is expected that DAT provision will enhance independence, self-esteem, occupational participation, and social relationships. Issues faced by occupational therapists when providing DAT are costs of product and funding schemes, sufficient knowledge, and access to knowledge sources. Survey respondents are mostly from Western countries with access to the Internet and the digital world, including having digital literacy, highlighting the digital divide that exists between world regions and countries, but also within countries worldwide. There is a need to continue research to better understand the issues related to digitalisation and the digital participation of people living with disabilities.

Occupational therapists' experiences of using a new internet-based intervention - a focus group study

BACKGROUND

Research is limited about how the introduction of new ways of delivering and conducting occupational therapy, in accordance with expected changes in health care, is experienced by occupational therapists (OTs).

AIM

To explore how OTs experienced use of a new internet-based intervention, 'Strategies for Empowering activities in Everyday life' (SEE), focusing on supporting client resources to manage an active everyday life after stroke.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A focus group study with periodical repeated discussion was designed. Four sessions during a period of 22 months were conducted with a total of four OTs.

RESULT

Overall, the results reflected that the OTs experienced that the use of SEE for persons with stroke was a valuable complement to existing rehabilitation. The process of introducing SEE included a multifaceted transition involving context, intervention process and delivery that renewed occupational therapy.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate how the use of new internet-based interventions such as SEE can influence and support renewal of occupational therapy that extends beyond the particular intervention. Continued research is needed to explore more aspects of SEE feasibility.

Developing and testing the feasibility of a new internet-based intervention-A case study of people with stroke and occupational therapists

INTRODUCTION

Internet-based interventions are called for within rehabilitation to meet the limited access to support for self-management after stroke. Therefore, a new intervention program, "Strategies for Empowering activities in Everyday life" (SEE) was developed. The aim of this study was to explore and describe how clients with stroke and their occupational therapists experienced the SEE intervention process and whether SEE has the potential to promote an active everyday life.

METHODS

A qualitative descriptive case study was designed. Four people with stroke (two of each sex, mean age 66,5 years) and their two occupational therapists (one of each sex) were included. A mix of data collection methods as interviews, assessments, registration forms and fieldnotes was used to uncover the participants' experiences and potential changes. Data were analysed with pattern matching.

FINDINGS

The analysed data formed three categories: "Not being able to take on the internet-based intervention", "Being facilitated in the change process of everyday life through the internet-based intervention", and "Providing a new internet-based intervention is a transition from ordinary practice". These categories included two to four subcategories that reflected aspects of SEE feasibility and acceptability with a focus on content and delivery.

CONCLUSION

The first test of the intervention indicates that the content and delivery of SEE can be feasible and acceptable both for clients and occupational therapists. The findings suggest that SEE has the potential to support clients' self-reflections and their adoption of strategies that influence engagement in daily activities and satisfaction with life in various ways. Further research with large-scale studies is needed.

Information and communication technology in home-based rehabilitation - a discussion of possibilities and challenges

Background: Information and communication technology (ICT) has been proven to have effect in terms of providing alternative ways to deliver rehabilitation services. The intention with this paper is to serve as a foundation for discussions regarding the future development, design, and delivery of home-based rehabilitation, including ICT.Aim: To reflect on and discuss the possibilities and challenges of using ICT in home-based rehabilitation services.Method and material: We use experiences and results from various projects to reflect on and discuss possibilities and challenges related to the use of ICT in home-based rehabilitation.Findings and discussion: We exemplify how ICT present new possibilities that can increase the quality of the rehabilitation process and improve access to services. We reflect on some challenges in the use of ICT, related to non-user-friendly solutions, to the specific rehabilitation situation, and a lack of technical support. At an organisational level, readiness to use ICT can impact the extent to which new solutions are integrated into practice.Conclusion: We emphasise that ICT has the potential to develop and improve service delivery and contribute to increased quality and accessibility of home-based rehabilitation.

Strategies for Empowering activities in Everyday life (SEE 1.0): study protocol for a feasibility study of an Internet-based occupational therapy intervention for people with stroke

Background

Rehabilitation after stroke seldom focuses on needs related to an active everyday life and the process of change that people must undergo to adapt to an altered capacity and life situation. In particular, occupational therapy in the late phase needs to support clients in adopting sustainable self-initiated management strategies to regain daily activities and an active everyday life. To improve access to rehabilitation, the use of digital solutions has been suggested. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of the Internet-based occupational therapy intervention “Strategies for Empowering activities in Everyday life” (SEE, version 1.0). We will investigate the feasibility of the intervention process in terms of acceptability and adherence as well as the most suitable outcome measures to evaluate SEE and improve the knowledge about the potential changes and outcomes of SEE for clients with stroke.

Methods

This feasibility study is based on a pretest posttest design without a control group. Quantitative and qualitative data will be collected from clients and staff concurrently embedded in a mixed-method design during the entire study.

Discussion

The project is a first test of a novel Internet-based occupational therapy intervention, and the research will contribute to the continued development and evaluation of the SEE programme. SEE can provide people with strategies in daily activities that can support them to live an active everyday life despite changed capacity and to improve access to rehabilitation interventions.

Trial registration

NCT04588116. Name of the registry: Strategies Empowering Activities in Everyday Life (SEE 1.0). A Web-based Occupational Therapy Intervention. URL of trial registry record. Date of registry: Trial first posted: October 19, 2020; first submitted: October 2, 2020