Assessment of sensory impairment of the upper limb post-stroke by occupational therapists within the acute setting : A mixed methods study exploring current clinical practice

Journal article


Byrne, Danielle, Cahill, Liana S., Barr, Christopher and George, Stacey. (2023). Assessment of sensory impairment of the upper limb post-stroke by occupational therapists within the acute setting : A mixed methods study exploring current clinical practice. British Journal of Occupational Therapy. 86(12), pp. 830-838. https://doi.org/10.1177/03080226231184994
AuthorsByrne, Danielle, Cahill, Liana S., Barr, Christopher and George, Stacey
Abstract

Introduction:
Sensory impairment of the upper limb is common after stroke and negatively impacts a stroke survivor’s recovery. The acute phase is a critical time for the identification of post-stroke somatosensory impairments and occupational therapists have a key role in the acute stroke setting. Sensory assessment and treatment practices of occupational therapists working in acute stroke settings are largely unknown. This study aims to describe current clinical practice and identify the barriers and enablers for the assessment of sensory impairment in patients post stroke within acute stroke units.

Method:
A mixed-methods approach was utilised, with an Australian national cross-sectional online survey of occupational therapists (n = 85) and state-based focus groups (n = 2). Descriptive analyses and thematic analysis were conducted.

Findings:
The majority of clinicians (78%) use non-standardised measures to assess for somatosensory impairment. Three qualitative themes were identified: acute setting contextual factors, individual patient characteristics and priorities, and clinician knowledge and perceived benefits.

Conclusion:
Occupational therapists working within acute stroke units are aware of the importance of assessing sensory impairment of the upper limb post stroke. However, the majority use non-standardised approaches and called for a standardised quick-to-administer tool kit that is readily available in acute stroke units.

Keywordsassessment; occupational therapy; stroke; somatosensory disorders; evidence-based practice
Year2023
JournalBritish Journal of Occupational Therapy
Journal citation86 (12), pp. 830-838
PublisherSAGE Publications
ISSN0308-0226
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1177/03080226231184994
Scopus EID2-s2.0-85164620347
Open accessPublished as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
Page range830-838
Publisher's version
License
File Access Level
Open
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online08 Jul 2023
Publication process dates
Deposited01 Apr 2025
Additional information

© The Author(s) 2023.

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).

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