Are occupational therapists more effective than social workers when assessing frail older people? Results of CAMELOT, a randomised controlled trial

摘要: OBJECTIVES: To compare the effectiveness of occupational therapist-led assessments older people on dependency and service costs with that social worker-led assessments. DESIGN: Pragmatic community-based randomised controlled trial over 2 years 4 months. SETTING: Cambridgeshire, UK. PARTICIPANTS: 321 aged 65 living in their own homes 113 carers. INTERVENTION: participants were to two groups, receive either or assessment. OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was (Community Dependency Index). Secondary outcomes included quality life scores (EQ-5D) psychological outlook (Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)). Outcome measures for carers Carer Assessment Difficulty Index (CADI), PSS EQ-5D, collected at baseline, 8 Resource use data from professional practice records, final follow-up. RESULTS: 264 (82%) completed study. No between-group statistically significant differences found, except therapist arm had significantly better EQ-5D month follow-up (thermometer P = 0.03) worker CADI stress (P 0.047) amount caring 0.049). CONCLUSIONS: There no clear difference patient-centred between therapists workers assessing frail community. More extensive primary care health services by may have contributed Delays making therapy completing recommended housing adaptations these negative findings.