Hafner contributes to papers on amputation-related pain, falls, and learning health systems

Professor Brian Hafner, PhD, is a co-author in multiple recent publications:

• “Development and pilot administration of the amputation-related pain and sensation assessment tool,” published in Disability and Rehabilitation, describes a tool that provides patients with written descriptions of three types of sensations commonly reported by amputation patients and asked them to rate each of the three types based on frequency, intensity and interference of experience. The authors believe that this tool can be used to help patients differentiate between the sensations they experience and help providers improve their diagnoses and treatment decisions. 
• “Evaluating fall event definitions relative to lower limb prosthesis users’ lived experiences,” also published in Disability and Rehabilitation, critically examined previous definitions of falls and near-falls to determine if they accurately represent the experiences of patients with lower limb prostheses (LLP). Semi-structured interviews with 24 LLP users suggested some revisions to previous definitions, with the aim of improving standardized definitions so that providers are more accurately able to document falls and justify fall prevention measures. 
• “Relevance of learning health systems to physiatrists and its synergy with implementation science: A commentary,” is online pre-publication in PM&R. This study advocates for the concept of the learning health system (LHS) as necessary to physiatrists. The authors define LHS and its relevance, points out the synergy between LHS and implementation science (IS), discuss ongoing LHS research in rehabilitation, and provide several possible ways to encourage LHS research and practice in the future. Professor Jeanne Hoffman, PhD, also contributed to this article.