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| Researchers: | Clare Thomas |
| Dates | Sept 2010 - Sept 2014 |
| Summary: |
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The study will evaluate a multidisciplinary team (MDT) rehabilitation programme provided to adults living in the community following severe acquired brain injury (ABI). The intervention has been developed over the last two years by the team in response to an increase in numbers of people choosing to live in the community following severe ABI.
The participants in the study will be adults of working age with ABI living in one inner city borough. They will all have received a period of specialist inpatient rehabilitation and will be returning to live in the community. The study will evaluate the community programme provided by an MDT comprising occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, psychologists and rehabilitation assistants. The primary aim of the intervention is to facilitate community access and community integration. The participants in the study will all have complex disability including elements of physical, cognitive and communication impairments. The study aims to explore whether the participants can increase community integration despite their severe level of disability.
The study will be a case series design with detailed case studies of 4- 8 participants. Outcomes will be measured at repeated points before and after the intervention to measure change. The primary outcome measures will record participants’ level of community activity and their subjective feelings of community integration. Secondary outcome measures will record changes in the participants’ ability to carry out activities of daily living independently. Each participant’s close relative will be interviewed to gather additional information about the process of rehabilitation.
The data from the outcome measures will be analysed to compare participants’ scores before and after intervention to identify if there has been significant change in terms of community integration. The information gathered will be used to evaluate the current service and inform service development.