Evaluation of a nurse-led multidisciplinary neurological rehabilitation programme using the Nottingham Health Profile.

OBJECTIVE

To ascertain whether or not an inpatient multidisciplinary treatment programme for patients with Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis resulted in a measurable change in patients' health-related quality of life (HRQL).

DESIGN

Assessments of HRQL were made one week before adm ssion and approximately one month post discharge.

SETTING

Six-bed Neurological Rehabilitation Unit at Worthing Hospital on the south coast of England.

SUBJECTS

Fifty-eight patients with Parkinson's disease and 33 patients with multiple sclerosis.

INTERVENTIONS

All patients received an individually adapted, multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme. The programmes lasted from 5 to 10 days.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

HRQL scores on the Nottingham Health Profile Part 1 (NHP-1).

RESULTS

Overall post-treatment NHP-1 scores were significantly better than overall pretreatment scores for both the Parkinson's group (z= 2.6, p <0.01) and the multiple sclerosis group (z = 2.1, p <0.05). Sixty-four per cent of patients perceived an overall improvement. The strongest improvement was in 'physical mobility' in the multiple sclerosis group (z = 3.0, p <0.01) and in 'emotional reactions' in the Parkinson's group (z = 2.9, p <0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that the multidisciplinary inpatient approach in neurological rehabilitation has identifiable short-term benefits for the majority of patients. A randomized trial with longer follow-up is required to confirm this.