Article

Objective: To determine physical, cognitive and social activity levels of stroke
patients undergoing rehabilitation, and whether these changed over time. Design:
Observational study using behavioural mapping techniques to record patient
activity over 12 hours on one weekday and one weekend day at baseline (week 1)
and again two weeks later (week 2). Setting: A 20-bed mixed rehabilitation unit.
Subjects: Fourteen stroke patients. Interventions: None. Main measures:
Percentage of day spent in any activity or physical, cognitive and social
activities. Level of independence using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM)
and mood using the Patient Health Questionniare-9 (PHQ-9). Results: The stroke
patients performed any activity for 49%, social activity for 32%, physical
activity for 23% and cognitive activity for 4% of the day. Two weeks later,
physical activity levels had increased by 4% (95% confidence interval (CI) 1 to
8), but levels of any activity or social and cognitive activities had not changed
significantly. There was a significant: (i) positive correlation between change
in physical activity and change in FIM score (r = 0.80), and (ii) negative
correlation between change in social activity and change in PHQ-9 score (r =
-0.72). The majority of activity was performed by the bedside (37%), and most
physical (47%) and cognitive (54%) activities performed when alone. Patients
undertook 5% (95% CI 2 to 9) less physical activity on the weekends compared with
the weekdays. Conclusions: Levels of physical, cognitive and social activity of
stroke patients were low and remained so even though level of independence and
mood improved. These findings suggest the need to explore strategies to stimulate
activity within rehabilitation environments.

Langue : ANGLAIS