Objective To observe the different needs of Uighur and Han stroke patients for oceupational activities using the Canadian occupational performance measure (COPM).Methods The COPM was employed to evaluate 51 stroke patients in hospital before and after treatment.Thirty were from the Han ethnic group and 21 were Uighur.The first evaluation was performed at admission to confirm their occupational activity problems.Interventions were then planned using a patient-centered occupational therapy model.At discharge the second evaluation was performed to assess and compare the effects of treatment.Results In the first evaluation,both the Uighur and Han stroke patients had problems with self-care activities which were more prominent than those with productive and leisure activities.Older Uighur patients had special occupational activity needs resulltng from their religious practices.Compared witb the first evaluation,the total performance and satisfaction scores had improved significantly by the second evaluation for both the Han and Uighur patients,but their satisfaction scores were lower than their occupational activities performance scores.Conclusion Different nationalities may have different occupational activities needs.The COPM is easy to use and helpful in confirming occupational activity problems.Its use can contribute to the plan ning of primary goals for rehabilitation and treatment programs and help assess the effect of rebabilitation.