Moving toward 2017: progress in rehabilitation intervention effectiveness research.

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Research
• Occupational Therapy Interventions
• Evidence-Based Practice

Background:

• The American Occupational Therapy Association Centennial Vision initiative aims to establish occupational therapy as a science-driven profession.
• Significant progress has been made, with numerous research studies published in recent years.
• The initiative is currently at its halfway point.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review research on interventions within rehabilitation published in the last five years.
• To assess the progress of occupational therapy as a science-driven profession.
• To identify areas for future development to realize the profession's full potential.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 42 research studies on rehabilitation interventions published in the past five years.
• Examination of intervention strategies, research designs, and measurement tools used.
• Identification of the predominant study populations.

Main Results:

• A substantial body of research (42 studies) has been published on rehabilitation interventions.
• Diverse intervention strategies, research designs, and measurement tools were employed.
• The majority of studies focused on the poststroke population.

Conclusions:

• Occupational therapy has demonstrated notable progress towards becoming a science-driven profession.
• Future success hinges on fostering knowledge translation, increasing participant diversity, and exploring under-researched populations.
• Emphasis on systematic reviews and occupation-centered outcomes is crucial for professional advancement.