A pilot exploration of staff and service-user perceptions of a novel digital health technology (Virtual Engagement Rehabilitation Assistant) in complex inpatient rehabilitation.

Purpose: Digital health technologies have the potential to advance rehabilitation. The Virtual Engagement Rehabilitation Assistant (VERA) is a digital technology, co-designed to increase service-user engagement and promote self-management. This qualitative study explored staff and service-user perceptions of implementing VERA on a UK complex inpatient rehabilitation ward.

Understanding the Barriers and Facilitators of Digital Health Technology (DHT) Implementation in Neurological Rehabilitation: An Integrative Systematic Review.

Background: Digital Health technologies (DHT) have potential to deliver intensive, novel and engaging rehabilitation for people with neurological conditions, yet health services lack a strong track record in embedding DHT into practice. The aim of this review was to synthesise factors that have been shown to influence implementation of DHT into neurological rehabilitation.

Method: An integrative review was undertaken.

Behavior Change Approaches in Digital Technology-Based Physical Rehabilitation Interventions Following Stroke: Scoping Review.

Background: Digital health technologies (DHTs) are increasingly used in physical stroke rehabilitation to support individuals in successfully engaging with the frequent, intensive, and lengthy activities required to optimize recovery. Despite this, little is known about behavior change within these interventions.

Objective: This scoping review aimed to identify if and how behavior change approaches (ie, theories, models, frameworks, and techniques to influence behavior) are incorporated within physical stroke rehabilitation interventions that include a DHT.

Risk of Urinary Infections in Veterans on Empagliflozin With Concurrent Catheter Use.

There has been concern over whether to use sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors in patients that use catheters due to the concern for increased urinary tract infections (UTIs). The concern is that patients who use catheters are already at an increased risk for UTIs and that SGLT-2-inhibitors may promote bacterial growth due their mechanism of action, ie. increasing glycosuria.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of Mental Practice for the Upper Limb After Stroke: Imagined or Real Benefit?

Objectives: This systematic review sought to determine the effectiveness of mental practice (MP) on the activity limitations of the upper limb in individuals after stroke, as well as when, in whom, and how MP should be delivered.

Data Sources: Ten electronic databases were searched from November 2009 to May 2020. Search terms included: Arm, Practice, Stroke rehabilitation, Imagination, Paresis, Recovery of function, and Stroke.

Initial evaluation of a virtual reality bomb-defusing simulator for development of undergraduate healthcare student communication and teamwork skills.

Communication and teamworking skills are essential healthcare professional skills, yet undergraduates exhibit reluctance to engage with group work, especially in interprofessional groups. The aim of the study was to investigate whether a virtual reality bomb-defusing simulator would enable students to gain these skills through an enjoyable and challenging scenario without profession-specific knowledge. Students took it in turns to play the role of the 'Defuser' immersed in a headset, while the rest of the group were 'Experts' with a printed manual, but no sight of the bomb.

Current therapy for the upper limb after stroke: a cross-sectional survey of UK therapists.

Objectives: To survey the reported content, frequency and duration of upper limb treatment provided by occupational and physiotherapists for people after stroke in the UK.

Design: A cross-sectional online survey was used. Description and analysis of the data were based on items from the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (Who, Where, What and How much).

Implementation in rehabilitation: a roadmap for practitioners and researchers.

Despite growth in rehabilitation research, implementing research findings into rehabilitation practice has been slow. This creates inequities for patients and is an ethical issue. However, methods to investigate and facilitate evidence implementation are being developed.

Interventions for eye movement disorders due to acquired brain injury.

Background: Acquired brain injury can cause eye movement disorders which may include: strabismus, gaze deficits and nystagmus, causing visual symptoms of double, blurred or 'juddery' vision and reading difficulties. A wide range of interventions exist that have potential to alleviate or ameliorate these symptoms. There is a need to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions and the timing of their implementation.

Patient reported outcome measures for visual impairment after stroke: a systematic review.

Purpose: The aim of this review was to identify patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) for use in research and clinical practice involving individuals with visual impairment following stroke and to evaluate their content validity against quality assessment criteria.

Method: A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify articles related to the development and/or validation of PROMS. We searched scholarly online resources and hand searched journals.

Diagnosis and management of Crohn's disease.

Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory condition affecting the gastrointestinal tract at any point from the mouth to the rectum. Patients may experience diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, weight loss, abdominal masses, and anemia. Extraintestinal manifestations of Crohn's disease include osteoporosis, inflammatory arthropathies, scleritis, nephrolithiasis, cholelithiasis, and erythema nodosum.