The Study of Human Occupations: Implications for Research in Occupational Therapy

1992 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 148-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellie Fossey

This article outlines the need to develop a body of research in occupational therapy which, firstly, supports the theoretical base of the profession and, secondly, enables occupational therapists to define the scope of their practice and their contribution to the promotion of health and well-being in society. It proposes the study of human occupation as a focus for research, from which greater knowledge and understanding of occupations and their significance for health could be gained. Further, the dimensions and research potential of this field are explored.

2008 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 94-98
Author(s):  
Susan J. Forwell ◽  
Kathleen M. Zackowski

Occupational therapists (OTs) have a unique and valued role in the health and functional recovery of individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). To maximize the benefit of occupational therapy by both health care professionals who refer patients and the patients who use the services, an understanding of the scope of services that OTs offer is essential. This article describes the breadth of the OT evaluation and intervention specific to the treatment of individuals who have MS. As an overriding goal, the OT assists clients in processing the implications of physical, cognitive, and emotional changes and creatively developing strategies to cope with and, when appropriate, minimize the effects of these changes. The occupational therapy process is described, beginning with evaluation and providing guidelines and resources for appropriate client-centered goal setting. The OT and client then discuss intervention that ensures optimal functional outcome and includes symptomatic management, according to the specific functional difficulties and implications and the particular symptoms of each patient. Through discussion, the OT helps each client achieve health and well-being with remedial and compensatory techniques that enable participation in meaningful activities and roles in the home, work, and community. OT services are essential to the appropriate and optimal delivery of comprehensive care and support to individuals with MS.


2008 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 2-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gelya Frank ◽  
Pamela Block ◽  
Ruth Zemke

A profession exists that shares interests with medical anthropology and applied anthropology to promote health and well-being through everyday activities, meaningful routines, and social participation. The profession is occupational therapy. Increasing numbers of anthropologists have professional credentials as occupational therapists, or work with occupational therapists, and collaborate also with disability studies scholars and activists. They share a mission is to define and clear new pathways to health, well-being, and social justice.


2002 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 153-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry Krupa ◽  
Debbie Radloff-Gabriel ◽  
Elizabeth Whippey ◽  
Bonnie Kirsh

Occupational therapists can play a valuable role on Assertive Community Treatment Teams (ACT). ACT is a widely disseminated, community based model of service delivery for individuals with severe psychiatric disabilities and high support needs. This paper discusses the generalist and specialist functions of occupational therapists within ACT. It is argued that occupational therapy addresses the occupational health and well being of ACT clients by intervening at three levels: the individual, the program and the community. This occupational focus is consistent with the ACT goal of enhancing community adjustment and quality of life. The paper concludes with a discussion of the opportunities and the constraints that face occupational therapists working within ACT.


1998 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Law ◽  
Sandy Steinwender ◽  
Leanne Leclair

Occupational therapists believe that there is a relationship between occupation, health and well-being but there is little evidence in the occupational therapy literature to support this belief. This paper describes the results of a critical review of research examining the relationship between occupation and health and well-being. Twenty-two studies from the health and social sciences literature were reviewed using specific methodological review criteria. The findings of these studies provide moderate to strong evidence that occupation has an important influence on health and well-being. Because most of this research has been completed with persons without disabilities, further research is required to explain the nature of the relationship between occupation and health and well-being for persons who experience a disability which affects their daily occupations


2021 ◽  
pp. 000841742110644
Author(s):  
Evelyne Durocher ◽  
Janet Njelesani ◽  
Emily Crosby

Background: Outcomes of using art in therapy overlap with goals of occupational therapy with older adults in long-term care, which include improving and maintaining health and well-being through engagement in occupations. There is a lack of evidence about how art activities could complement or inform occupational therapy. Purpose: The purpose of this scoping review is to map existing literature about how art activities are used in long-term care. Methods: Six electronic databases were searched. Fourteen studies met inclusion criteria and were analyzed to identify patterns and discrepancies. Findings: The analysis suggests art activities can contribute to well-being by improving mood, promoting communication and reminiscence, and supporting the development and deepening of social relationships. Implications: Occupational therapists should consider incorporating art activities as these offer therapeutic benefits and can be adapted to individual strengths and preferred type and level of participation.


2012 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 70-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet E. G. Jull ◽  
Audrey R. Giles

Background. In Canada, Aboriginal peoples are affected by colonial relations of power that result in poor health outcomes. Despite occupational therapists' efforts to work in a safe and competent manner with people experiencing challenges to participating in daily life, Western healthcare models reflect values that often undermine Aboriginal peoples' health and well-being. Purpose. Meaningful, effective, and culturally appropriate healthcare practices cannot be fully implemented by occupational therapists without an ongoing and critical examination of occupational therapy's foundational belief systems. Only a critical examination of these foundational belief systems will enable occupational therapists to take action towards addressing these inequities, which is an important step in moving towards culturally safe care. Key Issues. Canadian health professions, including occupational therapy, have the potential to create positive change at a systems level through the critical exploration of underlying professional assumptions. Implications. To advance dialogue about Aboriginal peoples' health, occupational therapists must engage in exploration of their profession's underlying theoretical concepts or risk participating in the perpetuation of health inequities for already at-risk populations.


2016 ◽  
Vol 79 (12) ◽  
pp. 727-733 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chia-Wei Fan ◽  
Mary Morley ◽  
Mike Garnham ◽  
David Heasman ◽  
Renee Taylor

Introduction In occupational therapy, there has been an increased interest in patients’ occupational participation within forensic settings. This retrospective study involved a longitudinal analysis of occupational participation within six forensic hospitals in England. The aim was to contribute to the understanding of forensic patients’ occupational participation over a two-year period. Methods The Model of Human Occupation Screening Tool (MOHOST) was rated by 78 occupational therapists on 489 patients in low and medium secure units who were receiving occupational therapy over two years. The many-faceted Rasch Model was used to convert their MOHOST scores at each time point into interval scales. Regression analysis was used to examine changes in occupational participation over time. Results Patients’ overall occupational participation improved over time. Specifically, participation improved in five of the six MOHOST subdomains, which included their motivation for occupation, pattern of occupation, communication/interaction skills, process skills, and environment. Patients did not demonstrate significant change in their motor skills, which varied as expected. In addition, patients in low secure units had better occupational participation than those in medium secure settings. Conclusion Our findings indicated improvements in the patients’ occupational participation over the 2-year period. Further investigations are needed to understand factors contributing to change.


Author(s):  
Franciele Costa Berní ◽  
Nicole Ruas Guarany

O terapeuta ocupacional é o profissional que estuda a ocupação humana, intervindo no desempenho das habilidades físicas, mentais, sociais e ambientais de cada indivíduo, a fim de proporcionar a participação deste nas atividades em casa, na escola e no trabalho. O brincar favorece a intervenção terapêutica e está presente em diversos contextos da vida das crianças e adolescentes, inclusive no contexto de uma praça adaptada. Desta forma, este estudo tem como objetivo verificar a percepção de profissionais de um centro de reabilitação de crianças e adolescentes com deficiência, e estagiários de Terapia Ocupacional, sobre a utilização de uma praça adaptada como um recurso terapêutico e de recreação. Para isto, identificou-se uma amostra composta por 20 sujeitos, de ambos os sexos. Foram utilizados dois questionários semiestruturados para coleta dos dados, ambos com a mesma finalidade, porém com linguagens adaptadas a cada área de atuação. A partir disto, constatou-se idade média de 33 anos, e diferenças nas respostas dos profissionais e estagiários em relação as atividades e objetivos propostos na praça adaptada, bem como na identificação desta como um recurso terapêutico. Todos os pesquisados qualificaram a praça como importante para instituição. Este estudo identificou que a praça adaptada é um ambiente utilizado como recurso terapêutico/pedagógico pelos sujeitos, porém, ainda é uma área inovadora para a Terapia Ocupacional, a qual busca aprimorar o desempenho ocupacional dos indivíduos. No entanto, são necessários novos estudos que possam auxiliar na fidedignidade destes resultados, e evidenciar as possibilidades de atuação do terapeuta ocupacional neste âmbito. Abstract An occupational therapist is a professional who studies human occupation by intervening in the performance of physical, mental, social and environmental skills of each subject in order to provide their participation in activities at home, at school and at work. The act of playing helps therapeutic treatment and it is in several contexts of children's and teenagers' lives including the context of an adapted square. Based on that, this study aims to check the professionals' and Occupational Therapy trainees' perception about the use of an adapted square as a therapeutic and recreational resource in a rehabilitation center for disabled children and teenagers. A sample with twenty subjects, both men and women, was used. Two semi-structured questionnaires were used for data collection. Both of them had the same aims but they had adapted language to each area of work. The professionals and trainees were thirty-three years old on average. There were differences in the professionals' and trainees' answers about the activities and aims proposed for the adapted square and if it really was a therapeutic resource. Every researcher agreed that the square was important to the institution. This study identified that the adapted square is a place used by the subjects as a therapeutic/teaching resource. However, it is a new area in Occupational Therapy which aims to improve the individual occupational performance. New studies are necessary to help the results of this work emphasizing the occupational therapists' work possibilities in this area.Key words: Resource, Occupational Performance, Occupational Therapy.


TRAUMA ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 46-53
Author(s):  
V.S. Sulyma ◽  
Yu.O. Filiak ◽  
V.M. Krasnovskyi

Achieving health, well-being, and participation in life through engagement in occupation is the statement that describes the domain and process of occupational therapy in its fullest sense. This definition includes all areas of influence in occupational therapy: type of employment (level of active lifestyle: rest and sleep, education, work, pleasure, social participation), client factors (values, beliefs, spirituality, body functions and structures), skill performance (motor, process and social interaction skills), pattern performance (habits, routines, rituals, roles), environment (cultural, personal, physical, social, virtual). Occupational therapy in military service is difficult in its own way. The main feature is that veterans demand constant monitoring and support. These people are vulnerable to suicide. That’s why occupational therapist should not wait for their self-referral. Members of soldier’s family need to be actively involved in cooperation as well. Practical guidelines of colleagues from the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists “Working for the Canadian Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Canada” and “A Guidance Document for Occupational Therapists” are most suitable for the implementation in Ukrainian realities. Occupational therapy process starts with an assessment of functioning and disability in relation to a health condition. In Ukraine, an analogue of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine dated 23.05.2018 No. 981) has been identified and introduced, which allows for a comprehensive functional assessment and further steps of planning, monitoring compliance, evaluation of occupational therapy. Primary screening is significantly facilitated by a test system developed by colleagues from different countries, which requires translation into Ukrainian and implementation. It would be appropriate to use a single base of servicemen for their distribution according to the priority of providing care that would optimize the start of occupational therapy. It is necessary to study in detail the long-term experience and advances of developed countries and integrate the promising experience of colleagues in military occupational therapy in Ukraine, which has a chance to become one of the promising specialties with a high level of military service.


2019 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-62
Author(s):  
Kelli Young ◽  
Abrielle Dodington ◽  
Catherine Smith ◽  
Carol S. Heck

Background. Sexuality is an important dimension of one’s health and well-being. Studies show that occupational therapists regard clients’ sexual health as a legitimate domain of practice but do not adequately address it in their clinical work. Purpose. This study aims to describe occupational therapists’ perspectives regarding clients’ sexual health. Method. This exploratory study surveyed Canadian occupational therapists using an online questionnaire that collected information on beliefs, knowledge, comfort, barriers, and facilitators with regard to addressing sexuality. Descriptive analysis was conducted on questionnaire data, and content analysis was used to organize respondents’ comments. Findings. While most respondents believed that addressing sexuality was within their scope, few actually did so in practice. Participants reported comfort with sexuality but identified lack of knowledge as a barrier to addressing clients’ sexual health. Implications. This study provided a greater understanding of factors that require consideration for occupational therapists to effectively meet clients’ sexual health needs.


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