AOTA

Authors:

Takayuki Miyauchi, Shotaro Sasaki, Rumi Tanemura

Course learning objectives:

1. Describe the outcome measures.
2. Identify behavioral problems caused by attention deficits that impact self-feeding independence.
3. Develop rehabilitation strategies to improve self-feeding independence.

Course Credit:  .1 AOTA CEU (1 contact hour/1.25 NBCOT PDU)

Importance: Self-feeding independence is often the first goal in acute stroke rehabilitation. Attention deficits appear frequently after stroke, but neuropsychological tests may be difficult to perform in the acute phase, and the effect on self-feeding activities may be difficult to detect. Therefore, we aimed to clarify behavioral problems with self-feeding using the Moss Attention Rating Scale (MARS), a behavioral observational rating scale of attentional function, for a better understanding of the effects of self-feeding.

Objective: To identify behavioral problems caused by attention deficits among patients with acute stroke who need assistance in self-feeding, using the MARS.

Design: Cross-sectional single-center study.

Setting: St. Marianna University Yokohama Seibu Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan.

Participants: A total of 96 patients (42 women and 54 men) were admitted to the hospital for stroke treatment. Patients’ median age was 75.0 yr. The date of evaluation was a median of 3.0 days from admission.

Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the FIM® eating subscore. The secondary outcome was the MARS score.

Results: Significant differences were noted in the total raw MARS, logit, and three-factor scores for self-feeding independence (p < .01). The effect size of the consistent or sustained factor on independence was large (r 5 .83)

Conclusions and Relevance: Behavioral problems related to self-feeding dependence include the inability for sustained attention. Our results suggest that sustained concentration during self-feeding is necessary for eating independence. Rehabilitation focused on sustained attention is important for independent self-feeding.

Plain-Language Summary: A patient’s self-feeding independence is often the first goal in acute stroke rehabilitation. Patients frequently experience attention deficits after a stroke, but neuropsychological tests may be difficult to perform in the acute phase of rehabilitation, and the effect of attention deficits on self-feeding may be difficult to identify. To have a better understanding of the effects on self-feeding, this study aimed to identify behavioral problems using the Moss Attention Rating Scale (MARS). The study found that the MARS can be used to identify behavioral problems related to self-feeding independence, which can help occupational therapists to develop rehabilitation programs for their clients who have experienced a stroke.

Miyauchi, T., Sasaki, S., & Tanemura, R. (2024). Behavioral problems and self-feeding independence among patients with acute stroke: A singlecenter study. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 78, 7805205080. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2024.050644

Expiration:  Please note that all AOTA CE courses expire at one year from date of purchase.