Effectiveness of Client-Centered "Tune-Ups" on Community Reintegration, Mobility, and Quality of Life After Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effectiveness of a 2-week client-centered rehabilitation intervention (tune-up) delivered 6 months after inpatient discharge on community reintegration at 1 year in people with stroke.

DESIGN: A multicenter randomized controlled trial with 2 groups: an intervention ("tune-up") group and a control group having the same exposure to assessment.

SETTING: Three research laboratories.

PARTICIPANTS: Participants (N=103) with hemiparetic stroke recruited from inpatient rehabilitation units at the time of discharge.

INTERVENTIONS: Participants randomized to the tune-up group received 1-hour therapy sessions in their home 3times/wk for 2 weeks at 6 months postdischarge focusing on identified mobility-related goals. A second tune-up was provided at 12 months.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Community reintegration measured by the Subjective Index of Physical and Social Outcome at 12 months and secondary outcomes included the Berg Balance Scale and measures of mobility and health-related quality of life up to 15 months.

RESULTS: At 12 months, both groups showed significant improvement in community reintegration (P<.05), a trend evident at all time points, with no difference between groups (mean difference, -0.5; 95% confidence interval, -1.8 to 2.7; P=.68). Similarly, a main effect of time reflected improvement in mobility-related and quality of life outcomes for both groups (P≤.0.5), but no group differences (P≥.30).

CONCLUSIONS: All participants in the tune-up group met or exceeded at least 1 mobility-related goal; however, the intervention did not differentially improve community reintegration. The improvements in mobility and quality of life over the 15-month postdischarge period may be secondary to high activity levels in both study groups and exposure to regular assessment.