[Occupational therapy for stroke patients during the early stage of in-hospital rehabilitation: recovery of cognitive and psychosocial functions].

A study included 100 patients (47 men and 53 women) with cerebral stroke. We revealed significant disordres of cognitive and psychosocial functions (memory, social integration and decision making) in the early stage of rehabilitation. The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) score at baseline (beginning of the early stage of rehabilitation) was 17.3 +/- 7.7. There was a partial recovery of cognitive and psychosocial functions during the rehabilitation that reflected in increasing of FIM score to 25.9 +/- 7.0. Neglect syndrome and severity of lesion (hemiplegia) had a significant negative effect on the effectiveness of occupational therapy (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). It has been concluded that occupational therapy significantly improves the independence of patients.