ObjectiveInvestigate whether exercise-based telerehabilitation improves pain, physical function and quality of life in adults with physical disabilities.DesignSystematic review of randomised controlled trials.Data sourcesSearches were performed in AMED, MEDLINE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, Embase, PEDro, Cochrane Library and PsycINFO.Eligibility criteriaTrials were considered if they evaluated exercise by telerehabilitation. The population included adults with physical disability. Comparisons were control and other interventions. The outcomes were pain, physical function and quality of life. Study selection, data extraction and analysis followed the protocol registered in PROSPERO (CRD42019122824). GRADE determined the strength of evidence.ResultsForty-eight trials were included in the quantitative analysis. When compared with other interventions, there was high-quality evidence that telerehabilitation was not different to other interventions for pain (95% CI: −0.4 to 0.1), physical function (95% CI: −0.2 to 0.2) and quality of life (95% CI: −0.1 to 0.5) at long-term. There was moderate-quality evidence that telerehabilitation was not different to other interventions for physical function (95% CI: −0.1 to 0.5) and quality of life (95% CI: −0.2 to 0.5) at short-term. However, due to the low-quality evidence and the small number of trials comparing exercise protocols offered by telerehabilitation with control groups, it is still not possible to state the efficacy of telerehabilitation on pain, function and quality of life at short-term and long-term.ConclusionsExercise by telerehabilitation may be an alternative to treat pain, physical function and quality of life in adults with physical disabilities when compared with other intervention.

Objective: To describe the intervention protocols to using commercial video games as virtual reality (VR) in rehabilitation of patients with stroke. Methods: Integrative review using the descriptors “rehabilitation”, “virtual reality exposure therapy” and “videogames” in the LILACS and PUBMED databases. Articles published from 2011 to 2018 were selected. Results: We found 1,396 articles, 1,383 were excluded and 13 were selected. Most of the articles were randomized clinical trials published in 2014 or later. The sample size varied from 5–47 adults, or adults and elders, with chronic stroke. The Nintendo Wii® was the most used video game system. The intervention happened two or three times a week, each session lasting from 30 to 60 minutes, over 2–12 weeks. Balance, upper limb motor functions, quality of life and daily living activities were the most common evaluated outcomes. The Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up and Go test, Barthel Scale and SF-36 were the most common outcome measurement tools. Conclusions: The studies indicated improvement in dynamic balance, upper limb motor function and quality of life after rehabilitation using VR. The VR was more effective than conventional treatments for the outcome of dynamic balance. Two studies did not find any changes in static balance and daily living activities. Physical aspects and quality of life were the outcomes most evaluated by the researchers; as were the population with chronic strokes and protocols of long duration and low intensity. Few studies targeted immediate VR effects, performance in daily living activities and social participation.

Patient-centered virtual reality (VR) programs could assist in the functional recovery of people after a stroke. Objectives: To analyze the feasibility of a rehabilitation protocol using client-centered VR and to evaluate changes in occupational performance and social participation. Methods: This was a mixed methods study. Ten subacute and chronic stroke patients participated in the rehabilitation program using games in non-immersive VR for 40 minutes/day, three days/week, for 12 weeks. Sociodemographic information was collected and the outcome variables included were the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and the Participation Scale. A field diary was used to record the frequency of attendance and adherence of participants and an interview was conducted at the end of program. Results: There were significant and clinically-relevant statistical improvements in the COPM performance score (p < 0.001; CI = 1.29 − 4.858) and in the COPM satisfaction score (p < 0.001; CI = 1.37 − 5.124), with a difference greater than 4.28 points for performance and 4.58 points for satisfaction. The change in the scores for participation was statistically significant (p = 0.046), but there was no clinical improvement (dcohen = −0.596, CI = −1.862 − 0.671). The majority of participants reported more than 75% consecutive attendance of sessions and there was 100% adherence to the program. In the interviews, the participants described their post-stroke difficulties; how the video game motivated their engagement in rehabilitation; and the improvement of occupational performance and social participation after participating in the program. Conclusions: VR is a viable tool for the rehabilitation of stroke patients with functional gains, mainly regarding occupational performance and performance satisfaction.

BackgroundA person’s participation is acknowledged as an important outcome of the rehabilitation process. The Participation Scale (P-Scale) is an instrument that was designed to assess the participation of individuals with a health condition or disability. The scale was developed in an effort to better describe the participation of people living in middle-income and low-income countries. The aim of this study was to use Rasch analysis to examine whether the Participation Scale is suitable to assess the perceived ability to take part in participation situations by patients with diverse levels of function.MethodsThe sample was comprised by 302 patients from a public rehabilitation services network. Participants had orthopaedic or neurological health conditions, were at least 18 years old, and completed the Participation Scale. Rasch analysis was conducted using the Winsteps software.ResultsThe mean age of all participants was 45.5 years (standard deviation = 14.4), 52% were male, 86% had orthopaedic conditions, and 52% had chronic symptoms. Rasch analysis was performed using a dichotomous rating scale, and only one item showed misfit. Dimensionality analysis supported the existence of only one Rasch dimension. The person separation index was 1.51, and the item separation index was 6.38. Items N2 and N14 showed Differential Item Functioning between men and women. Items N6 and N12 showed Differential Item Functioning between acute and chronic conditions. The item difficulty range was −1.78 to 2.09 logits, while the sample ability range was −2.41 to 4.61 logits.ConclusionsThe P-Scale was found to be useful as a screening tool for participation problems reported by patients in a rehabilitation context, despite some issues that should be addressed to further improve the scale.

| This study compared perceptions on health and quality of life among active workers and workers on leave attended at the basic health units of the city of Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil. We evaluated 111 workers through a questionnaire with social, demographic, and occupational data, and evaluation on health perception and SF-36 for quality of life. Data were submitted to descriptive analysis, Chi-square test for comparison of perception on health, and 99trabajo atendidos en las Unidades Básicas de Salud (UBS) de Uberaba (MG). Se estudió 111 trabajadores evaluados mediante un cuestionario con datos sociodemográficos y ocupacionales, evaluación de la percepción de salud y SF-36 para calidad de vida. Los datos fueron sometidos al análisis descriptivo, prueba chi cuadrado para comparación de la percepción de salud y prueba U de Mann-Whitney para comparación de la calidad de vida. Más de la mitad de la muestra era del sexo femenino (63,1%), con media de edad de 36 años. En relación a la situación actual en el trabajo, la mayoría (69,4%) estaba activa y 30,6% alejada, con la media de 2,85 meses de alejamiento. Más de 75% de los representantes evaluaron su salud como muy buena o buena, y 23,4% como regular, mala o muy mala. Los trabajadores alejados tenían calidad de vida significativamente peor en los dominios capacidad funcional, aspecto físico, dolor, estado general de salud, aspecto social, aspecto emocional y salud mental, y peor percepción de salud en comparación a los trabajadores activos. Estar fuera del mercado de trabajo se asoció a una peor percepción de salud y calidad de vida; así, incentivos para acciones y políticas de inserción de individuos adultos en actividades laborales deben ocurrir.Palabras clave | Trabajo; Calidad de Vida; Salud del Trabajador.

Objective:To empirically test the relationships proposed by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) among its domains.Method:The cross-sectional study was completed with 226 adult patients with different health conditions who attended a Brazilian rehabilitation unit. The ICF components were measured with the following instruments: World Health Organization Disability Assessment Instrument II, Functional Independence Measure, Participation Scale, Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors, and a protocol designed to gather information on body structure and function and personal factors.Results:Structural equation modeling showed good model adjustment, GFI=0.863; AGFI=0.795; RMSEA=0.028 (90% CI=0.014-0.043). Significant relationships were found between activity and both body structure and function (standard coefficient=0.32; p<0.0001) and participation components (standard coefficient=–0.70; p<0.0001). Environmental and personal factors had a significant effect on the three functioning components (standard coefficient =0.39; p<0.0001; standard coefficient =-0.35; p<0.001, respectively). In contrast, body structure and function had no significant effect on participation (standard coefficient=–0.10; p=0.111) and health conditions had no significant effect on any of the functioning components, i.e., body structure and function, activity, and participation (standard coefficient=–0.12; p=0.128). Conclusion:Some of the ICF’s proposed relationships across domains were confirmed, while others were not found to be significant. Our results reinforce the contextual dependency of the functioning and disability processes, in addition to putting into perspective the impact of health conditions.

Objective: To evaluate the knowledge, routine, and perception of older adults from four countries about dealing with COVID-19 in the social isolation period. Methods: Qualitative study with semistructured interviews. Older persons (60 years old), who lived in the urban centers of four different countries (Brazil, United States, Italy, and Portugal), were asked about the changes experienced during the pandemic, new habits or restrictions during isolation, sources of social and emotional support, and their knowledge about COVID-19 pandemic. Data was transcribed, codified, and submitted to content analysis. Results: Twenty-five older persons (10 from Brazil, 5 from Italy, 5 from Portugal, and 5 from the United States) were interviewed. Participants reported feeling restricted in their daily life activities and emotional instability. Described adaptations in habits, coping strategies, and greater understanding of the diseased based on information available in the media. There was homogeneity in the statements of the elderly, showing that the pandemic affected them in a similar way, even though they lived in different cultures and contexts. Conclusion: The social isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic changed the structure for the performance of many occupations, having an impact in the perception social participation and wellbeing of elders. This data can aid health professionals to outline strategies to deal with the impact of the social isolation in older persons.

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