| Include | Exclude |
---|---|---|
Population | Reviews of adults with unplanned admission (urgent/emergency) to acute hospital care for any diagnosis other than stroke. Explicitly targeted RCTs of ‘older adults’ as described in eligibility criteria, or which included a subgroup analysis for older adults. Where age was not specified in the review eligibility, we selected relevant RCTs from within reviews which had a median/mean age of at least 65 years. | Reviews of planned admission to acute care. Explicitly targeted RCTs of children, young- or middle-aged adults, adults with stroke, and/or without explicit target of ‘older adults’, and no subgroup analysis for older adults. Where age was not specified in the review eligibility, we excluded RCTs from within reviews which had a median/mean age of less than 65 years. |
Interventiona | All reviews of rehabilitation provided/prescribed by rehabilitation professionals: • which include exercise • to enable people with disabilities to attain or maintain maximum functioning at the level of body function, activity, and/or participation a • to prevent immobility related secondary health conditions or complications arising from a primary health condition | All reviews of: • rehabilitation involving prevention of first-time health conditions • acute medical management/chronic health condition management unless a goal is explicitly to address functioning (e.g. pulmonary rehabilitation for chronic lung disease with the goal of improving functioning) • rehabilitation directed at improving mental health a • rehabilitation not within the scope of the practice of rehabilitation professionals (e.g. homeopathy, invasive procedures for deep brain stimulation, hyperbaric oxygen therapy) • rehabilitation not specific to functioning (e.g. targeting a reduction in nonattendance rates) • first aid, pharmacological (including nutritional), paramedic, emergency, and surgical care a |
Comparison | • Usual care • Placebo • Sham rehabilitation • Alternative rehabilitation | • No comparison |
Outcome | Validated measure of functioningb, and/or quality of life. Measure of length of stay, discharge destination, or mortality. All measured at intervention end with or without follow up (up to 1 year). | Not (validated) measure of functioningb or quality of life and no measure of length of stay, discharge destination, or mortality. Absence of measure at intervention end. |
Time | Rehabilitation endpoint of discharge from inpatient care. | Rehabilitation endpoint after discharge from inpatient care. |
Study design | Systematic review and/or meta-analysis where at least 1 of the included primary studies are randomized controlled trials. | Not systematic review, primary research. Systematic review where no primary studies are randomized controlled trials. |
Other | • Human • Any geographical region • Any language • Any publication dates | • Non-human |