[Validated German PROMs for People with Major Amputation of the Lower Extremity - A Narrative Review Based on the Final Report of the LEAD and COMPASS Initiative of the ISPO].

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) play an important role in the rehabilitation of people with major limb amputations. Patient-completed questionnaires help collect specific constructs on this patient population. The COMPASS and LEAD initiatives, carried out by the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO), underscore the importance of regularly collecting high-quality PROMs.

Factors influencing speech pathology practice in dysphagia after stroke: A qualitative focus group study.

Background: Dysphagia affects over half of adults after stroke. Dysphagia rehabilitation aims to improve swallowing and reduce negative outcomes for these adults. However, significant variability exists in dysphagia rehabilitation.

Increasing the delivery of upper limb constraint-induced movement therapy programs for stroke and brain injury survivors: evaluation of the ACTIveARM project.

Purpose: To increase the number of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) programs provided by rehabilitation services.

Methods: A before-and-after implementation study involving nine rehabilitation services. The implementation package to help change practice included file audit-feedback cycles, 2-day workshops, poster reminders, a community-of-practice and drop-in support.

Categorization and recommendations for outcome measures for lower limb absence by an expert panel.

Background: Understanding the psychometric strengths and limitations of outcome measures for use with people with lower limb absence (LLA) is important for selecting measures suited to evaluating patient outcomes, answering clinical and research questions, and informing health care policy. The aim of this project was to review the current psychometric evidence on outcome measures in people with LLA to determine which measures should be included in a stakeholder consensus process.

Methods: An expert panel was assembled, and a 3-stage review process was used to categorize outcome measures identified in a systematic literature review into 3 distinct categories (recommended for measures with better than adequate psychometric properties; recommended with qualification; and unable to recommend).

"One of the biggest grey areas": A focus group study exploring dosage of swallowing exercises from speech-language pathologist perspectives.

: To explore the perspectives and practices of speech-language pathologists on dosage of swallowing exercises in stroke rehabilitation.: Online focus groups involved 20 speech-language pathologists working in various settings across Australia. Focus group data were recorded, deidentified, and analysed using inductive thematic analysis guided by an interpretivist phenomenological approach.

Psychometric properties of outcome measures for lower-limb absence: A protocol for a systematic review.

Background: Outcome measures are an important part of clinical practice to assist with the care of individuals with lower-limb absence (LLA). They aid with the devising and evaluation of rehabilitation plans, and guide decisions regarding the provision and funding of prosthetic services worldwide. To date, no outcome measure has been identified as a gold standard for use in individuals with LLA.

Recommendations from the ISPO lower-limb COMPASS: Patient-reported and performance-based outcome measures.

Background: Outcome measures (patient-reported and performance-based) are used widely but not uniformly within the clinical setting for individuals with lower-limb absence (LLA). The need for more detailed information by funding bodies, service planners and providers, and researchers requires the systematic and routine use of outcome measures. Currently, there is no consensus on which outcome measure(s) should be used for individuals with LLA.

Dosages of swallowing exercises in stroke rehabilitation: a systematic review.

Purpose: To investigate the dosages of swallowing exercises reported in intervention studies on post-stroke dysphagia through systematic review.

Methods: Five electronic databases were searched from inception until February 2022 with reference tracing of included studies. Studies were included, where adults with post-stroke dysphagia received rehabilitative, behavioural swallowing exercises, pre/post outcomes were reported, and intervention dosage was described in detail, including frequency, intensity, time, and type of exercise.

Dosages of Swallowing Exercises Prescribed in Stroke Rehabilitation: A Medical Record Audit.

This study investigated how swallowing exercise dosage is recorded, and what swallowing exercise dosages are reported in a stroke rehabilitation setting. We additionally explored the relation between mean daily swallowing repetitions and likelihood of improvement in functional swallowing status and considered how swallowing exercise dosages in practice compared to evidence-based principles of neural plasticity and strength training. We audited medical records for 42 patients with post-stroke dysphagia admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation unit over 18 months.

Improving care for cancer-related and other forms of lymphoedema in low- and middle-income countries: a qualitative study.

Background: Lymphoedema is a common, distressing and debilitating condition that can be related to cancer and its treatment or other conditions. Little is known about current practices in the diagnosis, assessment and management of lymphoedema in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).

Aim: To describe current practices in diagnosing, assessing and managing cancer-related and other forms of lymphoedema in LMIC, and related barriers and facilitators.

Facilitated case conferences on end-of-life care for persons with advanced dementia-a qualitative study of interactions between long-term care clinicians and family members.

Background: Prognostic uncertainty and the need for proxy decision-making owing to cognitive impairment in advanced dementia, adds complexity to end-of-life care planning within the long-term care setting. Case conferences provide a structure to facilitate difficult conversations and an opportunity for family and clinicians to engage in prospective planning, and reach agreement on goals of end-of-life care.

Objective: To explore interactions between multidisciplinary healthcare clinicians and families during facilitated case conferences on end-of-life care for residents with advanced dementia.

Mobility in persons with lower extremity amputations and influencing factors: Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health to quantify expert views.

Background:: International Classification of Function, Health and Disability provides a common framework and universal language for rehabilitation professionals across the globe.

Objectives:: To identify problems in functioning and mobility relevant to persons with lower-limb amputation from an expert's point of view and quantify these problems using the International Classification of Function, Health and Disability.

Study Design:: Qualitative study using electronic and paper surveys.

Assistive technology policy: a position paper from the first global research, innovation, and education on assistive technology (GREAT) summit.

Increased awareness, interest and use of assistive technology (AT) presents substantial opportunities for many citizens to become, or continue being, meaningful participants in society. However, there is a significant shortfall between the need for and provision of AT, and this is patterned by a range of social, demographic and structural factors. To seize the opportunity that assistive technology offers, regional, national and sub-national assistive technology policies are urgently required.

Effect of Inpatient Rehabilitation vs a Monitored Home-Based Program on Mobility in Patients With Total Knee Arthroplasty: The HIHO Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Formal rehabilitation programs, including inpatient programs, are often assumed to optimize recovery among patients after undergoing total knee arthroplasty. However, these programs have not been compared with any outpatient or home-based programs.

Objective: To determine whether 10 days of inpatient rehabilitation followed by a monitored home-based program after total knee arthroplasty provided greater improvements than a monitored home-based program alone in mobility, function, and quality of life.

Geographic Variation of the Incidence Rate of Lower Limb Amputation in Australia from 2007-12.

In Australia, little is known about how the incidence rate (IR) of lower limb amputation (LLA) varies across the country. While studies in other economically developed countries have shown considerable geographic variation in the IR-LLA, mostly these have not considered whether the effect of common risk factors are the same across regions. Mapping variation of the IR-LLA, and the effect of common risk factors, is an important first step to focus research into areas of greatest need and support the development of regional specific hypotheses for in-depth examination.

Minimal important improvement thresholds for the six-minute walk test in a knee arthroplasty cohort: triangulation of anchor- and distribution-based methods.

Background: The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is a commonly used metric for measuring change in mobility after knee arthroplasty, however, what is considered an improvement after surgery has not been defined. The determination of important change in an outcome assessment tool is controversial and may require more than one approach. This study, nested within a combined randomised and observational trial, aimed to define a minimal important improvement threshold for the 6MWT in a knee arthroplasty cohort through a triangulation of methods including patient-perceived anchor-based thresholds and distribution-based thresholds.

Experience of acute noninvasive ventilation-insights from 'Behind the Mask': a qualitative study.

Objective: Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is widely used in the management of acute and acute-on-chronic respiratory failure. Understanding the experiences of patients treated with NIV is critical to person-centred care. We describe the subjective experiences of individuals treated with NIV for acute hypercapnic respiratory failure.

The use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health to classify the factors influencing mobility reported by persons with an amputation: An international study.

Background: Amputation of lower limb results in limitations in mobility which are amenable to multiple rehabilitation interventions. The challenges faced by the persons with lower limb amputation vary internationally. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health provides a common language to describe the function of persons with lower limb amputation across various countries.

Enhancing the lives of older refugees: an evaluation of a training resource.

Background: Resources and training for aged care workers who are working with older people from refugee backgrounds are limited. Thus, a resource titled 'Enhancing the Lives of Older Refugees: A self-Improvement Resource for Community Service Providers' was developed in 2011, and later accompanied by a training program developed in 2012. The aim of the resource and accompanying training was to assist community aged care service providers, based in South Western Sydney and surrounding areas, to recognise an older refugee, increase their knowledge and skills in working with older refugees, have a greater understanding of older refugees' life experiences, and provide additional information that would allow them to offer appropriate services to those in their care.

Clinical practice guidelines for dementia in Australia.

About 9% of Australians aged 65 years and over have a diagnosis of dementia. Clinical practice guidelines aim to enhance research translation by synthesising recent evidence for health and aged care professionals. New clinical practice guidelines and principles of care for people with dementia detail the optimal diagnosis and management in community, residential and hospital settings.

Pharmacovigilance in hospice/palliative care: net effect of pregabalin for neuropathic pain.

Introduction: Real-world effectiveness of many medications has been poorly researched, including in hospice/palliative care. Directly extrapolating findings from other clinical settings may not yield robust clinical advice. Pharmacovigilance studies provide an opportunity to understand better the net impact of medications.