OBJECTIVE To test the validity and reliability of latent trait measures estimated from ratings by low-vision patients of the importance and difficulty of selected activity goals. DESIGN Validation of a telephone-administered functional assessment instrument using Rasch analysis of self-assessment ratings. SETTING Telephone interviews of respondents in their homes. Participants Consecutive s...

OBJECTIVE Elderly women who live alone are at increased risk for loss of independence. Hospitalization, in particular, often marks the transition from independent living to institutional care. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of rehabilitation admission to the subsequent function of elderly women and their ability to return to live-alone status. METHOD The women in th...

Although there are guidelines for transcultural adaptation and validation of psychometric tools, similar resources do not exist for translation of diagnostic and symptom terminology used by health professionals to communicate with one another, their patients, and the public. The issue of translation is particularly salient when working with underserved, non-English speaking populations in high-...

Occupational therapists have been conducting functional assessments since World War I, and this accumulated experience has taught us several critical lessons. First, a comprehensive profile of a patient's functioning requires multiple assessment methods. Second, assessment content and measurement constructs must change with the times. Third, technology can enhance and extend functional assessme...

data envelopment analysis (dea) is a technique for measuring the efficiency of decision making units. in all models of the dea, for each unit under assessment, the numerical efficiency is obtained which may be less than or equal to one. given the possible large number of functional units, we use various ranking methods for evaluating units. one of the rating methods is balance index and topsis....

data envelopment analysis (dea) is a technique for measuring the efficiency of decision making units. in all models of the dea, for each unit under assessment, the numerical efficiency is obtained which may be less than or equal to one. given the possible large number of functional units, we use various ranking methods for evaluating units. one of the rating methods is balance index and topsis....

OBJECTIVE This study examined the additional therapeutic effects of electroacupuncture for patients with first-ever ischaemic stroke. DESIGN Randomized controlled study. SUBJECTS A total of 63 patients with first-ever ischaemic stroke. METHODS The study and control groups underwent a conventional rehabilitation program, with the former receiving an additional 8 courses of electroacupunctu...

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES Imaging tumor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in vivo offers unique opportunities for patient care and clinical decision-making. Detailed imaging studies may allow oncologists to optimize therapeutic drug type and dose based on individual patient response. Most radiologic methods are used sparingly because of cost; thus, important functional information about tumor...

A functional analysis was conducted to assess the antecedent and reinforcing conditions underlying aggressive behavior in a female lemur in captivity. Results showed that her aggression was primarily the result of human attention. A replacement behavior-training program was introduced, and the lemur's aggression was successfully eliminated. These results demonstrate the utility of using functio...