Disability meanings according to patients and clinicians: imagined recovery choice pathways.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to explore how the meaning of disability varies between patients with acute-onset activity limitations and clinicians, and between males and females.


METHODS
Seventy-nine patients undergoing inpatient rehabilitation and 93 practicing rehabilitation clinicians in the USA developed personal recovery choice pathways through recovery preference exploration (RPE). Imagining complete dependence in 18 activities as diverse as eating and expression, each individual determined an optimal sequence of recovery. This sequence was used to determine the relative value of each activity compared with the other 17. Three comparisons were made by calculating the mean absolute difference (MAD) in median utilities, including patients versus clinicians, male versus female patients, and male versus female clinicians. The MAD shows the relative magnitude of disparity between each pair.


RESULTS
The MAD value between patients and clinicians was 3.4 times larger and 4.8 times larger than the MAD values between male and female patients and male and female clinicians, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The much larger difference in recovery preferences between patients and clinicians compared with differences between genders suggests that life contexts of being a patient with disabilities versus a clinician are more potent determinants of activity limitation perspectives than being a man or woman.
Stineman
Margaret G
MG
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-6021, USA. mstinema@mail.med.upenn.edu
Rist
Pamela M
PM
Kurichi
Jibby E
JE
Maislin
Greg
G
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003657:Decision Making; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D010361:Patients; D011788:Quality of Life; D012046:Rehabilitation; D014481:United States