Feasibility study of an experimental social space-oriented rehabilitation concept for people with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities: a study protocol

Introduction The United Nations underlines the participation in all domains of daily living for people with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities in the Disability Rights Convention, which also includes medical services. In line with this, the German Federal Participation Act has further develop...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kathrin Förster, Judith Gartmann, Andrea Boekel, Thilo Busche, Christoph Egen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2025-01-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/1/e085390.full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1841550974865375232
author Kathrin Förster
Judith Gartmann
Andrea Boekel
Thilo Busche
Christoph Egen
author_facet Kathrin Förster
Judith Gartmann
Andrea Boekel
Thilo Busche
Christoph Egen
author_sort Kathrin Förster
collection DOAJ
description Introduction The United Nations underlines the participation in all domains of daily living for people with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities in the Disability Rights Convention, which also includes medical services. In line with this, the German Federal Participation Act has further developed the relevant disability policy at the national level. This also implies access to comprehensive medical care. In 2015, Germany created a legal basis for the establishment of medical centres for adults with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities in order to ensure basic medical care for these patients. However, the medical centres cannot provide complex rehabilitation. Mobile rehabilitation can be another tool to address the underuse of medical rehabilitation for people with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities. Mobile rehabilitation refers to rehabilitation services provided in a patient’s home or local community, rather than in a traditional inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation facility. The advantages of mobile rehabilitation are its accessibility for patients with mobility problems, the comfort of a familiar environment, which can reduce stress, and the fact that rehabilitation can be tailored to the patient’s living conditions and daily routine. In Germany, mobile rehabilitation is currently only available in the field of geriatrics.Within the framework of the feasibility study ‘Social space-oriented individualised medical rehabilitation for people with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities (SIMRE),’ a social space-oriented rehabilitation concept was developed to close the rehabilitation gap for people with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities. It is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Health. This study protocol describes the procedure of this feasibility study.Methods This study is a prospective mixed methods feasibility study. The rehabilitation concept combines outpatient and home-based rehabilitation, medical, and therapeutic care for people with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities.Analysis The primary target criteria are the feasibility and acceptance of the concept by participants, relatives, carers and the rehabilitation staff. Guided interviews with participants and their relatives and/or carers will be analysed using the content-structuring analysis according to Kuckartz. Quantitative analysis will include a cost-benefit analysis to provide information on the economic feasibility of the rehabilitation concept. Changes in individual participation, quality of life and rehabilitation goals will be assessed using a before-and-after comparison with questionnaires. The frequency and type of rehabilitation procedures used will be evaluated quantitatively.The trial was prospectively registered in the German Clinical Trials Register on 17 August 2023. (https://www.drks.de/DRKS00032493).Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval was granted by the Ethics Committee of Hannover Medical School (reference number: 10985_BO_S_2023).1. Publication: The results of the project will be made available to the public through open access publications. We plan to develop a treatment guideline for the treatment concept based on clinical experience.2. Widespread implementation: If the project is continued and adequately staffed, the rehabilitative care concept could be implemented nationwide, and the University Hospital could be available as a reference clinic.Trial registration number German Clinical Trials Register (reference number: DRKS00032493).
format Article
id doaj-art-1e268fca211f4593a12df3eec4e7a70b
institution Kabale University
issn 2044-6055
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher BMJ Publishing Group
record_format Article
series BMJ Open
spelling doaj-art-1e268fca211f4593a12df3eec4e7a70b2025-01-09T17:40:11ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552025-01-0115110.1136/bmjopen-2024-085390Feasibility study of an experimental social space-oriented rehabilitation concept for people with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities: a study protocolKathrin Förster0Judith Gartmann1Andrea Boekel2Thilo Busche3Christoph Egen4Department of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, GermanyDepartment of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, GermanyDepartment of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, GermanyDepartment of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, GermanyDepartment of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, GermanyIntroduction The United Nations underlines the participation in all domains of daily living for people with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities in the Disability Rights Convention, which also includes medical services. In line with this, the German Federal Participation Act has further developed the relevant disability policy at the national level. This also implies access to comprehensive medical care. In 2015, Germany created a legal basis for the establishment of medical centres for adults with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities in order to ensure basic medical care for these patients. However, the medical centres cannot provide complex rehabilitation. Mobile rehabilitation can be another tool to address the underuse of medical rehabilitation for people with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities. Mobile rehabilitation refers to rehabilitation services provided in a patient’s home or local community, rather than in a traditional inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation facility. The advantages of mobile rehabilitation are its accessibility for patients with mobility problems, the comfort of a familiar environment, which can reduce stress, and the fact that rehabilitation can be tailored to the patient’s living conditions and daily routine. In Germany, mobile rehabilitation is currently only available in the field of geriatrics.Within the framework of the feasibility study ‘Social space-oriented individualised medical rehabilitation for people with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities (SIMRE),’ a social space-oriented rehabilitation concept was developed to close the rehabilitation gap for people with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities. It is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Health. This study protocol describes the procedure of this feasibility study.Methods This study is a prospective mixed methods feasibility study. The rehabilitation concept combines outpatient and home-based rehabilitation, medical, and therapeutic care for people with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities.Analysis The primary target criteria are the feasibility and acceptance of the concept by participants, relatives, carers and the rehabilitation staff. Guided interviews with participants and their relatives and/or carers will be analysed using the content-structuring analysis according to Kuckartz. Quantitative analysis will include a cost-benefit analysis to provide information on the economic feasibility of the rehabilitation concept. Changes in individual participation, quality of life and rehabilitation goals will be assessed using a before-and-after comparison with questionnaires. The frequency and type of rehabilitation procedures used will be evaluated quantitatively.The trial was prospectively registered in the German Clinical Trials Register on 17 August 2023. (https://www.drks.de/DRKS00032493).Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval was granted by the Ethics Committee of Hannover Medical School (reference number: 10985_BO_S_2023).1. Publication: The results of the project will be made available to the public through open access publications. We plan to develop a treatment guideline for the treatment concept based on clinical experience.2. Widespread implementation: If the project is continued and adequately staffed, the rehabilitative care concept could be implemented nationwide, and the University Hospital could be available as a reference clinic.Trial registration number German Clinical Trials Register (reference number: DRKS00032493).https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/1/e085390.full
spellingShingle Kathrin Förster
Judith Gartmann
Andrea Boekel
Thilo Busche
Christoph Egen
Feasibility study of an experimental social space-oriented rehabilitation concept for people with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities: a study protocol
BMJ Open
title Feasibility study of an experimental social space-oriented rehabilitation concept for people with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities: a study protocol
title_full Feasibility study of an experimental social space-oriented rehabilitation concept for people with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities: a study protocol
title_fullStr Feasibility study of an experimental social space-oriented rehabilitation concept for people with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities: a study protocol
title_full_unstemmed Feasibility study of an experimental social space-oriented rehabilitation concept for people with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities: a study protocol
title_short Feasibility study of an experimental social space-oriented rehabilitation concept for people with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities: a study protocol
title_sort feasibility study of an experimental social space oriented rehabilitation concept for people with intellectual and or multiple disabilities a study protocol
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/1/e085390.full
work_keys_str_mv AT kathrinforster feasibilitystudyofanexperimentalsocialspaceorientedrehabilitationconceptforpeoplewithintellectualandormultipledisabilitiesastudyprotocol
AT judithgartmann feasibilitystudyofanexperimentalsocialspaceorientedrehabilitationconceptforpeoplewithintellectualandormultipledisabilitiesastudyprotocol
AT andreaboekel feasibilitystudyofanexperimentalsocialspaceorientedrehabilitationconceptforpeoplewithintellectualandormultipledisabilitiesastudyprotocol
AT thilobusche feasibilitystudyofanexperimentalsocialspaceorientedrehabilitationconceptforpeoplewithintellectualandormultipledisabilitiesastudyprotocol
AT christophegen feasibilitystudyofanexperimentalsocialspaceorientedrehabilitationconceptforpeoplewithintellectualandormultipledisabilitiesastudyprotocol