The effects of rehabilitation potential on activities of daily living in patients with stroke in Taiwan: a prospective longitudinal study.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the effect of three-dimensional rehabilitation potential on the activity of daily living (ADL) among patients with stroke in rehabilitation wards.

Design: Prospective longitudinal study.

Setting: Two rehabilitation wards situated within a nationally recognized referral centre in Northern Taiwan, followed by subsequent discharge.

Participants: A total of 101 participants were admitted due to either a primary or recurring incident of infarction or haemorrhagic stroke, subsequently being transferred to the rehabilitation ward of a medical centre.

Interventions: Not applicable.

Main outcome measures: Rehabilitation potential included biological (swallowing ability, muscle power, and urinary incontinence), psychological (rehabilitation motivation and cognitive function), and social (social support) dimensions. The rehabilitation treatment outcome was activities of daily living measured using the Barthel Index. Time-variant variables, including swallowing ability, rehabilitation motivation, social support, and ADL, were collected at the time of transfer to the rehabilitation ward, 1-3 days before discharge, and 1 month after discharge.

Results: The results of the generalized estimating equations model revealed that poor swallowing ability, lower muscle power, and urinary incontinence in the biological dimension, along with lower rehabilitation motivation and moderate cognitive impairment in the psychological dimension, are significant indicators of rehabilitation potential among stroke patients. When the different dimensional rehabilitation potential was considered overall, both biological and psychological indicators can still predict ADL outcomes during and after inpatient rehabilitation therapy. Of these indicators, swallowing ability and rehabilitation motivation were positively correlated with ADL over time. Further, increased rehabilitation motivation enhanced the protective effect of swallowing ability on ADL.

Conclusion: Important indicators of rehabilitation potential, which can predict ADL outcomes, were identified for stroke patients in the rehabilitation ward. Policymakers can design appropriate intervention plans to enhance the rehabilitation potential and improve the effectiveness of inpatient rehabilitation treatment for stroke patients.