Research into rehabilitation. What is the priority?

Abstract

Research into rehabilitation must not be confused with research that is of importance to the clinical practice of rehabilitation. The priorities in rehabilitation research should focus on the activities and processes that are central to rehabilitation and that together define the unique nature of rehabilitation. These are multidiscipli- nary teamwork and goal-setting; working within a systematic framework that recognizes the inter- actions of many different factors upon an individual's illness; and changing behaviour. In the next decade we should investigate ways of improving the key rehabilitation processes of goal-setting and assessment, we should aim to understand the important inter-relationships between disease, impairment and contextual factors on the one hand and disability and participation on the other, and we should investigate the best ways to modify behaviour (i.e. optimize activities) in the context of disabling illness.