What does this research mean for the field?

Patients with comorbid mental health disorders undergoing post-acute inpatient rehabilitation require more healthcare resources and experience higher pain and opioid use at discharge, despite achieving comparable functional improvement and satisfaction to those without such disorders. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To compare rehabilitation processes, functional gains, pain management, and service utilization between post-acute inpatient rehabilitation patients with and without comorbid mental health disorders.

September 8, 2026Journal of Rehabilitation MedicineOpen Access

Inpatient rehabilitation after acute injury or illness for patients with and without mental health disorders: service utilization, functional improvement, and pain

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Authors

ASAnja S. Sundet SHsolveig L. Hauger IHIngrid A. Havnes

Discussion

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Overview

Observational cohort study finds higher pain, opioid use, and care complexity among rehabilitation patients with mental health disorders, highlighting the need for tailored resource allocation.

Key Points

To compare rehabilitation processes, functional gains, pain management, and service utilization between post-acute inpatient rehabilitation patients with and without comorbid mental health disorders.
Observational cohort study of 130 patients receiving post-acute inpatient rehabilitation following an acute injury or illness.
Mental health disorders were evaluated via diagnostic interviews, with adjusted regression analyses measuring outcomes including therapy sessions, staff burden, pain, and functional improvement.
Patients with mental health disorders had more psychologist visits (B = 5.87, 95% CI 3.87–7.87), more cancelled physiotherapy sessions (B = 1.15, 95% CI 0.38–1.93), and placed higher demands on nurses (OR = 5.47, 95% CI 1.38–21.76) and coordinators (OR = 7.43, 95% CI 2.21–24.94).
Co-occurring mental health disorders were associated with greater pain intensity (B = 1.25, 95% CI 0.38–2.12), higher pain interference (OR = 6.81, 95% CI 1.39–33.30), and increased discharge opioid use (OR = 4.5, 95% CI 1.75–11.55).
Improvements in functional independence and overall patient satisfaction were comparable between patients with and without mental health disorders.

Cite This Study

Sundet et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9fd83b58e84d0ff5b479bb https://doi.org/10.2340/jrm.v58.45007

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September 8, 2026Journal of Rehabilitation MedicineOpen Access

Inpatient rehabilitation after acute injury or illness for patients with and without mental health disorders: service utilization, functional improvement, and pain

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

ASAnja S. Sundet SHsolveig L. Hauger IHIngrid A. Havnes

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Observational cohort study finds higher pain, opioid use, and care complexity among rehabilitation patients with mental health disorders, highlighting the need for tailored resource allocation.

Key Points

To compare rehabilitation processes, functional gains, pain management, and service utilization between post-acute inpatient rehabilitation patients with and without comorbid mental health disorders.
Observational cohort study of 130 patients receiving post-acute inpatient rehabilitation following an acute injury or illness.
Mental health disorders were evaluated via diagnostic interviews, with adjusted regression analyses measuring outcomes including therapy sessions, staff burden, pain, and functional improvement.
Patients with mental health disorders had more psychologist visits (B = 5.87, 95% CI 3.87–7.87), more cancelled physiotherapy sessions (B = 1.15, 95% CI 0.38–1.93), and placed higher demands on nurses (OR = 5.47, 95% CI 1.38–21.76) and coordinators (OR = 7.43, 95% CI 2.21–24.94).
Co-occurring mental health disorders were associated with greater pain intensity (B = 1.25, 95% CI 0.38–2.12), higher pain interference (OR = 6.81, 95% CI 1.39–33.30), and increased discharge opioid use (OR = 4.5, 95% CI 1.75–11.55).
Improvements in functional independence and overall patient satisfaction were comparable between patients with and without mental health disorders.

Cite This Study

Sundet et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9fd83b58e84d0ff5b479bb https://doi.org/10.2340/jrm.v58.45007

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