Outpatient occupational therapy access for rural stroke survivors: barriers as perceived by therapists

Aim Identify occupational therapist (OTs) perceived barriers to occupational therapy (OT) access for rural stroke survivors as well as barriers in stroke specific training of therapists. Methods An electronic gap analysis survey was developed and distributed via email. Results Twenty-six OTs responded. Responses were analyzed utilizing descriptive statistics and summarization of comments. Therapist-perceived barriers included: family/caregiver support, distance to clinic, insurance coverage, health literacy, roles and responsibilities, financial, and transportation. The primary barrier in treating rural stroke survivors identified by OTs was lack of appropriate clinic equipment for neuro-specific interventions. Conclusions Further research is needed in a larger sample size to explore the extent to which therapist-perceived barriers agree with the stroke survivor's perspective and facilitate solutions to overcome them.