Listing of Recent
Systematic Reviews in Disability and Rehabilitation
Adshead, S., Collier, E., & Kennedy, S. (2015). A literature review exploring the preparation of mental health nurses for working with people with learning disability and mental illness. Nurse Education in Practice, 15(2), 103-107. doi:10.1016/j.nepr.2015.01.004
Reviews 13 articles published 2001-13 on the topic of mental health nurses’ preparation for working with individuals who have a learning disability AND are mentally ill. Identifies three main themes: attitudes, practice and education. Concludes that the meager literature suggests that nurses are not well prepared to care for this population segment.
PMID: 25662482
Barclay, L., McDonald, R., & Lentin, P. (2015). Social and community participation following spinal cord injury: a critical review. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research., 38(1), 1-19. doi:10.1097/MRR.0000000000000085
Finds 17 quantitative, 5 qualitative and 1 mixed-methods study, of low quality, on community participation after spinal cord injury, none of which studied an intervention. Concludes that social support, personal care assistance, specialized equipment and appropriate occupational therapy input facilitate participation, while problems with transportation, environmental accessibility, issues with healthcare providers and services, and pain constitute barriers.
PMID: 25305008
Brooker, K., van Dooren, K., McPherson, L., Lennox, N., & Ware, R. (2015). A systematic review of interventions aiming to improve involvement in physical activity among adults with intellectual disability. Journal of Physical Activity & Health, 12(3), 434-444. doi:10.1123/jpah.2013-0014
Inventories six papers, generally of poor quality (pre-post design, small N, lack of valid and reliable measures), yet concludes that physical activity interventions have the potential to improve health and wellbeing of people with intellectual disabilities.
PMID: 24809870
Costello, E. J., & Maughan, B. (2015). Annual research review: Optimal outcomes of child and adolescent mental illness. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, 56(3), 324-341. doi:10.1111/jcpp.12371
Finds very few studies that provide answers to three questions on the risk children and adolescents with mental illness may have as adults: a repeat of the same disorder; episodes of a different disorder; and functional impairment. Is able to conclude that half of adults with a psychiatric history are without disorder and functioning well in their twenties and later. However, they still do not as well as adults without a psychiatric history.
PMID: 25496295
PMCID: PMC4557213
Cox, A. D., Dube, C., & Temple, B. (2015). The influence of staff training on challenging behaviour in individuals with intellectual disability: a review. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities: JOID, 19(1), 69-82. doi:10.1177/1744629514558075
Reviews 19 studies that evaluate whether staff training has an impact on clients’ challenging behavior. Concludes that the paucity of studies, lack of replications and other limitations of this literature make it impossible to identify a best practice for training of staff.
PMID: 25395332
Daffada, P. J., Walsh, N., McCabe, C. S., & Palmer, S. (2015). The impact of cortical remapping interventions on pain and disability in chronic low back pain: a systematic review. Physiotherapy, 101(1), 25-33. doi:10.1016/j.physio.2014.07.002
Assesses evidence on the effectiveness of novel interventions for chronic low back pain such as graded motor imagery and mirror visual feedback On the basis of 5 studies concludes there is limited strong research, but that the few studies available are encouraging.
PMID: 25442672
Dalgas, U., Stenager, E., Sloth, M., & Stenager, E. (2015). The effect of exercise on depressive symptoms in multiple sclerosis based on a meta-analysis and critical review of the literature. European Journal of Neurology, 22(3), 443-e34. doi:10.1111/ene.12576
Finds 15 RCTs involving 331 subjects and 260 controls that assessed the effectiveness of a “structured exercise intervention” compared to no exercise or another form of exercise, on depressive symptomatology in MS samples. Only 4 studies show positive effects, preventing solid conclusions to be drawn. Suggests that choice of depression instrument, baseline symptom level, patient level of disability, and exercise intensity may affect results.
PMID: 25327395
Ebrahim, S., Malachowski, C., Kamal El Din, M., Mulla, S. M., Montoya, L., Bance, S., & Busse, J. W. (2015). Measures of patients' expectations about recovery: a systematic review. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 25(1), 240-255. doi:10.1007/s10926-014-9535-4
Identifies 46 studies, most rated as low quality, of which 44 find that patient recovery expectations are a predictor of return to work, or of disability claim resolution.
PMID: 25100443
Hemm, C., Dagnan, D., & Meyer, T. D. (2015). Identifying training needs for mainstream healthcare professionals, to prepare them for working with individuals with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities: JARID, 28(2), 98-110. doi:10.1111/jar.12117
Evaluates the literature reporting on assessments of training needs of mainstream health professionals in the area of physical and mental illness among people with intellectual disabilities. Uses a narrative approach to explore themes in 13 studies, and finds three: general communication, knowledge/information, and needs specific to various professions. Suggests that a core training package with profession-specific tailoring is possible.
PMID: 25266406
Janssens, A., Thompson Coon, J., Rogers, M., Allen, K., Green, C., Jenkinson, C., Tennant, A., Logan, S., Morris, C. (2015). A systematic review of generic multidimensional patient-reported outcome measures for children, part I: descriptive characteristics. Value in Health: The Journal of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, 18(2), 315-333. doi:10.1016/j.jval.2014.12.006
Aims to describe characteristics and content of generic, multidimensional patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for children and adolescents up to age 18. Maps the content of 35 PROMs to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Children and Youth version (ICF-CY). Concludes that social functioning is measured most often, that most PROMs exclude at least one major ICF-CY domain, and that “all conflate aspects of functioning and well-being”.
PMID: 25773568
McDowell, C., & Fossey, E. (2015). Workplace accommodations for people with mental illness: a scoping review. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 25(1), 197-206. doi:10.1007/s10926-014-9512-y
Investigates types, costs and benefits of workplace accommodations provided for people with mental illness. Finds on the basis of 9 studies that the most commonly reported accommodations are flexible scheduling/reduced hours, modified training and supervision, and modified job duties/descriptions. Concludes that there is limited evidence that a larger number of accommodations result in a longer job tenure.
PMID: 24841728
Moskowitz, L. J., & Jones, E. A. (2015). Uncovering the evidence for behavioral interventions with individuals with fragile X syndrome: a systematic review. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 38, 223-241. doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2014.12.011
Examines the evidence base for behavioral interventions with individuals with fragile X syndrome (FXS). Based on 31 studies concludes that a behavioral approach shows promise.
PMID: 25575286
Narouze, S., & Souzdalnitski, D. (2015). Obesity and chronic pain: systematic review of prevalence and implications for pain practice. Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, 40(2), 91-111. doi:10.1097/AAP.0000000000000218
Examines pain management approaches for obese patients and reviews novel interventional techniques for treatment of obesity. Suggests that inadequate pain control can be a barrier to effective lifestyle modification and rehabilitation. Concludes that research should focus on better understanding the interplay between pain and obesity and the development of effective treatment strategies.
PMID: 25650632
Prang, K. H., Newnam, S., & Berecki-Gisolf, J. (2015). The impact of family and work-related social support on musculoskeletal injury outcomes: a systematic review. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 25(1), 207-219. doi:10.1007/s10926-014-9523-8
Reviews whether family and work-related social support (from co-workers, supervisors) has been identified as a factor in the physical, psychological, and economic outcomes of individuals with musculoskeletal injury. Based on 14 studies (11 focusing on supervisors or co-workers, 3 on family) concludes that the evidence for an effect is inconclusive.
PMID: 24846079
Proud, E. L., Miller, K. J., Bilney, B., Balachandran, S., McGinley, J. L., & Morris, M. E. (2015). Evaluation of measures of upper limb functioning and disability in people with Parkinson disease: a systematic review. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 96(3), 540-551.e1. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2014.09.016
Aims to identify upper limb assessment tools applicable to persons with Parkinson Disease (PD), describe their content using the ICF, and evaluate metric characteristics using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement INstruments COSMIN). Finds that 10 of 18 instruments identified were evaluated in people with PD. Only reliability, but not validity, has been addressed in high-quality studies.
PMID: 25301441
Rubio-Valera, M., Luciano, J. V., Ortiz, J. M., Salvador-Carulla, L., Gracia, A., & Serrano-Blanco, A. (2015). Health service use and costs associated with aggressiveness or agitation and containment in adult psychiatric care: a systematic review of the evidence. BMC Psychiatry, 15, 35-015-0417-x. doi:10.1186/s12888-015-0417-x
Finds 10 studies assessing the impact of agitation on length of stay, readmission rates and medication doses in psychiatric care. Concludes that agitation affects healthcare use and costs in terms of longer length of stay, more readmissions and higher drug use. Evidence is scarce, however.
PMID: 25881240
PMCID: PMC4356166
Rutten, J. M., Korterink, J. J., Venmans, L. M., Benninga, M. A., & Tabbers, M. M. (2015). Nonpharmacologic treatment of functional abdominal pain disorders: a systematic review. Pediatrics, 135(3), 522-535. doi:10.1542/peds.2014-2123
Aims to summarize the evidence on nonpharmacologic interventions for pediatric (age 3-18) abdominal pain-related functional gastrointestinal disorders (AP-FGIDs). Finds 24 RCTs which are evaluated using the GRADE approach. Finds support for hypnotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, lactobacillus rhamnosus, and guar gum, but not for other fiber supplements or a lactose-free diet.
PMID: 25667239
Simon, S. S., Cordas, T. A., & Bottino, C. M. (2015). Cognitive Behavioral Therapies in older adults with depression and cognitive deficits: a systematic review. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 30(3), 223-233. doi:10.1002/gps.4239
Investigate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapies (CBTs) in improving depressive symptoms, disability, and cognition in older adults with depression and cognitive deficits. Finds that CBT focused on problem solving is studied most often, and is more effective than supportive therapy. Concludes that older adults with depression and cognitive deficits can benefit from CBT, but that improvements in mood and disability are more consistent than in cognition.
PMID: 25521935
Turton, R. W. (2015). Criterion-related validity of challenging behaviour scales: a review of evidence in the literature. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities: JARID, 28(2), 81-97. doi:10.1111/jar.12098
Identifies 12 challenging behavior scales and 21 publications that assess their validity. One scale only used direct measures of behavior; the rest used indirect measures that themselves have limited evidence of validity, including membership of diagnostic or service groups and other scales. Concludes that there is limited strong evidence of validity, but that what was found is encouraging.
PMID: 24827916
