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Related Experiment Videos

Occupational therapy for rheumatoid arthritis.

E M J Steultjens1, J Dekker, L M Bouter

  • 1Nivel; Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, P.O. Box 1568, Utrecht, Netherlands.

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|February 20, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Occupational therapy (OT) improves functional ability for rheumatoid arthritis patients. Joint protection instruction shows strong evidence of efficacy, while comprehensive OT and splint provision offer limited but positive effects.

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Area of Science:

  • Rheumatology
  • Rehabilitation Medicine
  • Occupational Therapy

Background:

  • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) significantly impacts physical, personal, social, and vocational aspects of life.
  • Occupational therapy (OT) is crucial for managing RA by enhancing task performance and daily living activities.
  • The efficacy of OT interventions for RA patients regarding functional performance and social participation requires systematic review.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effectiveness of various OT interventions for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.
  • To determine if OT improves functional ability, social participation, and health-related quality of life.
  • Interventions include comprehensive therapy, motor function training, skills training, joint protection, energy conservation, counseling, assistive devices, and splinting.

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Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of full-length articles from multiple databases (Medline, Cinahl, Embase, Amed, Scisearch, Cochrane).
  • Inclusion of controlled (randomized and non-randomized) and other controlled studies on OT for RA.
  • Methodological quality assessment using a standardized list; data analysis via best evidence synthesis.

Main Results:

  • Thirty-eight studies met inclusion criteria; six controlled studies were of high methodological quality.
  • "Instruction on joint protection" demonstrated strong evidence of efficacy (100% relative benefit).
  • Limited evidence supports comprehensive OT for functional ability (20% relative benefit) and splint provision for pain reduction (19% relative benefit).

Conclusions:

  • Occupational therapy interventions positively impact functional ability in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Specific OT strategies, such as joint protection, are strongly supported by evidence.
  • Further research may clarify the benefits of other OT approaches for RA management.