Cognitive impairment predicts engagement in inpatient stroke rehabilitation

Patient engagement during inpatient rehabilitation is an important component of rehabilitation therapy, as lower levels of engagement are associated with poorer outcomes. Cognitive deficits may impact patient engagement during inpatient stroke rehabilitation. Here, we assess whether patient performance on the cognitive tasks of the 30-min National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke - Canadian Stroke Network (NINDS-CSN) screening battery predicts engagement in inpatient stroke rehabilitation. Prospective data from 110 participants completing inpatient stroke rehabilitation at an academic medical center were utilized for the present analyses. Cognitive functioning was assessed at inpatient stroke rehabilitation admission using the NINDS-CSN cognitive battery. Patient engagement was evaluated at discharge from an inpatient rehabilitation unit using the Hopkins Rehabilitation Engagement Rating Scale. The results demonstrate that the NINDS-CSN cognitive battery, specifically subtests measuring executive functioning, attention and processing speed, predicts patient engagement in inpatient stroke rehabilitation. Cognitively impaired patients undergoing rehabilitation may benefit from modifications and interventions to increase engagement and improve functional outcomes.