Content - Volume 37, Issue 5

Qualitative research methodology focuses on individuals' lived experiences as they are presented in thoughts, ideas, feelings, attitudes and perceptions. In addition, the research approach emphasizes human behaviour and social interaction. It explores the quality of a phenomenon, not the quantity. This article outlines the major characteristics of qualitative research methodology and gives applica ...

Objective: To identify predictive factors for work capacity in patients with musculoskeletal disorders. Design: A descriptive, evaluative, quantitative study. Subjects/Patients: The study was based on 385 patients who participated in a rehabilitation programme. Methods: Patients were divided into 2 groups depending on their ability to work. The groups were compared with each other with regard to s ...

Objective: Tests and measures, if confounded by behavioral signs, cloud interpretation of physical test results during clinical examination. The purpose of this study was to determine whether common behavioral signs and pain responses (i. e. centralization and non-centralization) were associated during initial examination. Design: Observational and designed to cross-tabulate pain responses to beha ...

Objective: To analyse the influence of long-term sick leave on patients' life situation. Design and subjects: Cross-sectional study based on 1350 individuals with a consecutive sick leave period of 12–18 months. Half were still on sick leave, half were no longer sick-listed. Methods: A total of 862 participants answered a postal questionnaire including 24 questions on consequences of their sick ...

Objective: To investigate, in patients with mild traumatic brain injury, serum concentrations of S-100B and neurone-specific enolase in acute phase and post-concussion symptoms, disabilities and life satisfaction 1 year after the trauma. Design: Prospective study. Patients: Eighty-eight patients (age range 18–87 years). Methods: Blood samples were taken on admission and about 7 hours later. At f ...

Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in patients with acquired brain injury in Turkey. Methods: A total of 207 patients with acquired brain injury were assessed. Reliability was tested by internal consistency and the person separation index; internal construct validity by Rasch analysis; external construct validity by correlation with cognitive ...

Objective: To estimate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of persons with spinal cord lesion. Design: The study design was cross-sectional. Subjects: All adult citizens in Helsinki with traumatic spinal cord lesion were identified. The final study group comprised 117 subjects, corresponding to a participation rate of 77%. Methods: HRQoL was assessed by a generic 15-dimensional self-adminis ...

Objective: Clinical gait analysis is widely used by different therapists working with hemiplegic patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of video-based clinical gait assessment, as performed by practitioners in diverse specialties. Design: Five neurologists, 5 physiotherapists, and 5 doctors of physical medicine and rehabilitation (physiatrists) were asked to study a vide ...

Objective: To determine the frequency and pattern of methods of outcome assessment used in Australian physical rehabilitation environments. Design: Postal survey. Methods: A questionnaire on service type, staffing, numbers of adults treated and outcome measures used for 7 conditions related to injury and road trauma as well as stroke and neuromuscular disorders was sent to 973 services providing a ...

Objective: To compare the ability of a rank-invariant non-parametric method with that of kappa statistics to evaluate the reliability of the Swedish version of the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia and the Self-Efficacy Scale by identifying systematic and random disagreement. The aim was, further, to compare 2 different statistical approaches to obtain a global value from multi-item scales. Design: A ...