Date of Award

2007

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Degree Name

Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT)

Department

Occupational Therapy

First Advisor

Jan Stube

Keywords

Lymphedema -- psychology; Quality of Life; Questionnaires

Abstract

The objective of this project was the development of a tool in the form of a patient questionnaire to be used by Occupational Therapists (OT) treating patients with lymphedema/chronic venous edema. This questionnaire was designed to identify life factors beyond limb volume reduction and activity independence that correlate with the patients' perceptions of an improved quality of life, therefore promoting Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL).

Literature reviewed supported the premise that attainment of the typical OT goals of activity completion will not accomplish the desired result of lymphedema treatment, nor will lymphedema goal attainment of reduced limb measures achieve long-standing patient satisfaction. The Occupational Therapy Framework (AOTA, 2002) and the Ecological Model of Occupation (Dunn et al., 2003) constructs were applied to address patient specific factors to be included in the treatment planning for patients with edema/lymphedema.

A HRQoL measurement tool, called the Lymphedema/Chronic Venous Edema Patient Questionnaire, was developed to be used by lymphedema trained occupational therapists as an outcome measure of patient satisfaction after treatment. Further, through clinical use of this questionnaire, Health Related Quality of Life is more likely to be an intentional outcome of the occupational therapy lymphedema treatment process.

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