Predictors of Participation in Supervised Therapy by Post-Stroke Patients in the Singapore Community: a One Year Cohort Study

ABSTRACT

Introduction: To determine the relationship between participation in supervised and unsupervised therapy, and predictors of participation in supervised therapy during the first post-stroke year. Materials & Methods: Design: Prospective longitudinal study with interviews at admission, discharge, one month, six months and one year after discharge. Setting: Two subacute inpatient rehabilitation units and the community after discharge in Singapore. Participants: 215 subacute non-aphasic stroke patients. Intervention: Participation rate in supervised therapy (at outpatient rehabilitation centres) and unsupervised therapy (at home) defined as proportion of time spent performing therapy as prescribed by the subacute hospital’s multidisciplinary rehabilitation team at discharge. Main Outcome Measure: Predictors of participation in supervised and unsupervised therapy. Results: Patients who participated in supervised therapy (i.e. at an outpatient rehabilitation centre) >25% of the time recommended were more likely to participate in unsupervised therapy (i.e. at home) >75% of the time recommended at one, six and 12 months (crude odds ratio, OR = 4.41 [95%CI:2.09–10.17], 4.45 [95%CI:2.17–9.12], 6.93 [95%CI:2.60–18.48] respectively). Greater participation in supervised therapy at one and six months independently predicted greater participation in supervised therapy at six (adjusted OR=11.64 [95%CI:4.52-29.97]) and twelve months (adjusted OR=76.46 [95%CI:12.52-466.98]) respectively. Caregiver availability at six months independently predicted poorer participation in supervised therapy at 12 months. Conclusion: Interventions to increase participation in supervised therapy in the first post-stroke year should focus on transition of care in the first month after discharge. Further studies are needed to understand why caregiver availability was associated with low participation in supervised therapy.