Occupational therapy service use among people aging with multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE

We examined the use of occupational therapy services in a sample of people aging with multiple sclerosis (MS).

METHOD

A total of 1,282 people with MS, ages 45 to 90, participated in telephone interviews to identify unmet health-related service needs. Occupational therapy was 1 of 22 services examined. Proportional odds models were used to examine factors associated with how recently services were used.

RESULTS

Four hundred eighty-four participants (38.2%) had used occupational therapy services at some point since their diagnosis; 211 had used these services in the year before the interview. Recent users identified occupational therapy services as important to health and well-being. Satisfaction with services was high. Greater activity limitations and living in an urban or suburban area were associated with more recent use of occupational therapy services.

CONCLUSION

The results raise questions about what constitutes appropriate levels of occupational therapy service use and how to ensure that these levels are achieved.