Occupational therapists' identification, assessment, and treatment of unilateral spatial neglect during stroke rehabilitation in Canada.
OBJECTIVE
Unilateral spatial neglect (USN) is a disabling feature of stroke, and its identification and management are critical for optimizing patient outcomes. This study examined USN problem identification, assessment, and treatment among clinicians working in stroke rehabilitation.


METHODS
This report was based on a Canada-wide survey of 253 occupational therapists providing inpatient stroke rehabilitation.


RESULTS
Eighty percent (n=202) recognized USN as a potential problem, 27% (n=67) reported using standardized USN assessment tools, and 58% (n=147) indicated using USN interventions. Working on a stroke unit and younger age were among the variables explaining 7% to 19% of the variability in USN problem identification, assessment, and intervention use.


CONCLUSIONS
Although USN problem identification was high, clinicians were unlikely to use standardized assessment tools or evidence-based interventions to effectively manage this serious impairment.
Department of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Anita
A
Menon-Nair
Nicol
N
Korner-Bitensky
Tatiana
T
Ogourtsova
D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D010468:Perceptual Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000078329:Workforce