Long-term improvement in activities of daily living in women with systemic sclerosis attending occupational therapy

Introduction: Systemic sclerosis often affects hand function, leading to severe disability in many subjects. There is little data available on the effects of occupational therapy in systemic sclerosis in current literature. The aim of our study was therefore to evaluate the effects of a cycle of occupational therapy on performing activities of daily living in a group of women with systemic sclerosis. Method: Twenty women with systemic sclerosis were included in the study: 10 followed a cycle of occupational therapy; 10 were enrolled as controls. An occupational therapy cycle consisted of six meetings of 90 minutes each over a 3-week period. All women were evaluated by the Health Assessment Questionnaire and Evaluation of Daily Activity Questionnaire at baseline and after 24 weeks. The use of devices and alternative strategies was also assessed. Results: We observed a significant reduction in the Health Assessment Questionnaire and Evaluation of Daily Activity Questionnaire scores in occupational therapy subjects after 6 months compared to controls. There was also evidence of significant improvement in four dimensions of the Evaluation of Daily Activity Questionnaire: eating; indoor mobility; outdoor mobility; and communication. The number of devices in the occupational therapy group increased significantly. Conclusion: Our findings suggest a relevant role for occupational therapy in improving activities of daily living in women with systemic sclerosis. The use of strategies learned during occupational therapy sessions allows for long-lasting beneficial effects.