ICF from an occupational therapy perspective in adult care: an integrative literature review.

Since its launch there has been increasing interest in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) within occupational therapy (OT). The aim of this study was to perform an integrative literature review, in order to present an overview of knowledge, where the ICF constitutes a significant part in relation to OT. A systematic literature search, covering the period 2001-2008, was performed in the databases MEDLINE, AMED, and CINAHL.

Can a housing environmental index establish associations between indoor risk indicators and clinical tests in persons with asthma?

The aim was to investigate the associations between indoor risk indicators, identified by a housing environmental index (HE-index), and clinical tests of lung function, allergy and bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR). Forty-nine eligible subjects participated in the investigation. The HE-index was based on national and international guidelines and related to measurements of humidity, temperature, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide, allergens and occurrence of tobacco smoke and pets.

Increased occurrence of respiratory symptoms is associated with indoor climate risk indicators - a cross-sectional study in a Swedish population.

Background: A basic assumption was that exposure to the indoor environment would increase the manifestation of respiratory symptoms in predisposed individuals. The aim was to investigate the proportion of perceived respiratory symptoms attributed to specific environmental exposures, and associations related to indoor climate risk indicators, i.e.

An investigation of the housing environment for persons with asthma and persons without asthma.

Asthma is a chronic disease affected by environmental factors that may increase symptoms that impact on a persons' well-being. An important issue in occupational therapy is to improve the relationship between a person's functional capacity and the physical environment. The aim of the study was to compare the housing environment of persons with asthma (cases, n = 49) and persons without asthma (controls, n = 48), with regard to building construction and condition, physical, chemical and biological factors, and cleaning routines.

Occupational therapy adaptation of the home environment in Sweden for people with asthma.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes of lung function, respiratory symptoms and indoor air quality after reducing allergens and indoor pollutants in the home environment of people with asthma (n = 21). A quasi-experimental pre-/post-test design with one group of participants was implemented. The interventions included removal of wall-to-wall carpets (n = 14) or improvement of indoor air exchange (n = 7).