Clinical utility of the In-Home Occupational Performance Evaluation (I-HOPE) for major home modification practice in Australia.

Background/aim: The use of standardised measures in home modification practice is rare, in part due to a lack of suitable tools. One promising outcome measure designed for home modification practice is the In-Home Occupational Performance Evaluation (I-HOPE). This study aimed to investigate the clinical utility of the I-HOPE for major home modification practice in Australia.
Methods: The I-HOPE was trialled in one major home modification service by five occupational therapists who participated in two focus groups. Feedback using a purposefully developed questionnaire was also collected from 25 adult clients who completed the I-HOPE. Data from the focus groups were thematically analysed, and the questionnaire responses were analysed using template analysis.
Results: The analysis revealed four themes: client experience, training and resources, suitability to major home modification practice and improvements and future use. Therapists valued the person-focused nature of the I-HOPE; however, there were some clinical utility issues identified including confusion of the rating scales for clients, length of time to complete the tool and the need for more training and a clearer instruction manual.
Conclusion: It is suggested that the I-HOPE is a person-focused and valuable tool for community occupational therapy practice in the Australian context but may not be suited to specialised major home modification services. An app or online version of the tool for client use, and the availability of training resources which are accessed online would enhance the clinical utility of the tool.
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