Otjr-Occupation Participation and Health最新文献

Occupational disruption (OD) is common during the perinatal period. Occupational therapy (OT) intervention may improve knowledge of perinatal occupational balance (OB) strategies. The aim of this exploratory study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an OT intervention in increasing knowledge of perinatal OB strategies among working first-time mothers (WFTMs). A total of 30 perinatal WFTMs attended a virtual OT educational workshop that addressed the OB constructs of stress management, energy conservation, sleep hygiene, and routine management. Pre- and post-intervention surveys measured OD and self-reported knowledge of OB strategies. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired samples t-tests. Participants reported moderate OD across all OB constructs. Statistically significant improvements were noted in knowledge of OB strategies to improve energy conservation (p = .003) and overall OB (p = .001). OT intervention can improve knowledge of OB strategies in perinatal WFTMs. Including OB education in routine perinatal care shows promise.

No unifying or explicit definition of positive social functioning exists within the health literature, rather dysfunction is the focus. This research examines the conceptualization and operationalizations of non-dysfunctional social functioning in emerging adults. A scoping review following Joanna Briggs Institute's methodology was conducted. Criteria were developed using the Participants, Concept, and Context framework. Participants: Individuals 16-29 years old. Concept: Social functioning in humans. Context: Social sciences. Thirty-seven studies published within the social science literature between 1990 and 2021 were included. Examination of variables used by included studies yielded a new multi-level definition of social functioning that is focused on positive functioning, rather than on dysfunction. This study introduces a novel, multi-level definition of social functioning in emerging adulthood, highlighting measurable components that can guide interventions and research fostering positive social functioning and participation.

The Raising Families Project delivered three, 12-week cohorts of interprofessional services alongside graduate student training, where weekly evaluation surveys provided formative data. This article examines quality improvement via ongoing formative program evaluation. The purpose of the current study was to gather and analyze Raising Families Project participant feedback relating to program delivery logistics, to improve ongoing and future program delivery and quality. A total of 347 weekly evaluation surveys were collected from caregivers (n = 37), students (n = 35), and clinicians (n = 7). Descriptive statistics and reflexive thematic analysis were utilized to analyze survey data. Five themes were developed related to quality improvement, namely immediate vs. sustained adjustments, logistical enhancements, challenging flexibility, collaborative benefits/varied meaning, revealing complexity of participants' preferences, alongside iterative improvements resulting from feedback. Findings suggest the need to include formative evaluation, to embed the caregiver/family in interprofessional approaches, and to consider individuals' needs in practice.

Individuals with unreliable, minimal, or non-speaking autism face significant challenges in expressing themselves. Historically, these communication difficulties have been attributed to cognitive deficits, however, emerging research suggests that apraxia, may be a primary barrier to effective communication. This study aims to explore the role of apraxia affecting speech, and how society views and supports communication. This auto-ethnographic study is informed by the lived experiences of three minimally speaking autistic individuals, highlighting the disconnect between cognitive capacity and expressive speech. The analysis resulted in the following themes: (a) apraxia as a global motor impairment and (b) disconnecting apraxia from intellectual function. This research underscores the need for adaptive communication strategies and inclusive policies that recognize intelligence and cognitive capabilities beyond verbal outputs. A shift toward understanding the impact of apraxia on communication within this population will foster more equitable access to education, health care, and social participation.

Public safety personnel (PSP) have higher rates of work-related psychological injuries compared to the general public. Occupational therapists frequently provide rehabilitation and return to work (RTW) services for PSP. In order to understand the usage of occupational therapy (OT) treatment with psychologically injured PSP from British Columbia, Canada, a descriptive quantitative approach was used to explore summary data provided by WorkSafeBC (WSBC) for psychologically injured PSP who had an accepted mental disorder injury claim between 2019 and 2023, comparing those who received community OT treatment and those who did not. The data revealed that PSP with greater injury severity and longer lengths of time away from work more frequently received OT treatment as part of their WSBC mental disorder injury claim; it is possible that this higher degree of claim complexity influenced their RTW outcomes. Workers' compensation organizations should review their RTW processes to ensure prompt access to relevant treatment and supports, including occupational therapy.

Involving people with lived experience is important to mental health service design, development, and research. This study explored the personal meaning and impact of participating in lived experience opportunities for consumers and carers. Six semi-structured interviews with consumer and carer volunteers at an Australian community mental health service were analyzed through an interpretative phenomenological lens. A steering group, formed by staff with lived expertise, guided the research. Five themes were identified: "Transforming negative experiences into positive contributions," "Self-growth through lived experience participation," "Connections and support through lived experience participation," "Considerations for supporting consumers and carers in a team," and "Considerations for setting up voluntary lived experience participation roles." Lived experience engagement is meaningful to consumers and carers. Creating safe-enough environments that support participation in decision-making requires valuing diverse opinions, having supportive facilitators, acknowledging demands of sharing lived experiences, and paid remuneration.

Amid calls for inclusion of autistic people in research, we present findings from our community-engaged study on the experiences of families of autistic girls, who experience disparities in autism identification, and show how the Autistic Lived Experience Collaborators (ALEC) in the Disparity Reduction and Equity in Autism Services (DREAmS) Lab influenced our findings. In Part 1 of our multimethod study, 21 caregivers completed interviews and survey questions. In Part 2, 10 Hispanic/Latino caregivers from Part 1 completed 1 to 3 interviews. Analysis used descriptive statistics and a narrative thematic approach. We also drew from analysis meeting notes. Girls from Spanish-speaking families had later ages of autism identification, which informed our qualitative themes: Survival Explains Stigma, a view of Hispanic/Latino culture that clarified the "stigma" that impacted the diagnostic process; and Intergenerational Influences on staying safe, which could include masking autistic traits. ALEC quotes show their contributions. Our community-engaged approach contributed to our findings and a more complex view of culture.

This qualitative research explored the underresearched area of subjective meaning(s) of travel for U.K. baby-boomers, from an occupational perspective. Using a descriptive phenomenology, a convenience sample of eight baby-boomers was recruited using social media. Participants took part in semistructured interviews, and narratives were analysed using thematic analysis. Four themes were generated: (a) travel is important to me, (b) travel changes through time, (c) travel facilitators and barriers and (d) travel as a shared experience. Participants perceived travel as a meaningful and health-promoting occupation that represented freedom, choice, independence, connection and achievement. Greater comfort was sought with age while financial constraints and deteriorating health were considered barriers to travel. The therapeutic value of travel as a meaningful occupation should not be underestimated. Travel providers might consider providing meaningful, accessible and desired travel opportunities for this cohort while examining their potential economic benefits to society.

Community-engaged research intentionally engages communities and people with lived experience as equal partners in the research process from project ideation through dissemination. The American Occupational Therapy Foundation sponsored a 2-day Engage Summit in October of 2024 to: showcase the depth and breadth of high-quality community-engaged research within occupational therapy, identify and evaluate systematic approaches to community-engaged methodologies to elevate occupational therapy-informed community-engaged scholarship, including evaluation, measurement, and dissemination, and build capacity among people with lived experience to actively engage in community-engaged research as full and equal partners. The event culminated in a World Café, a participatory process wherein attendees identified priorities for community-engaged research to guide the profession. The purpose of this paper is to provide a high-level overview of the proceedings, showcase the results from the World Café, and issue a call to action for continued development and institutional support of community-engaged research within occupational therapy and beyond.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) affects approximately 100,000 Americans, predominantly those of African descent, yet care coordination between academic medical centers and community organizations remains limited. To identify strategies for strengthening community-academic partnerships to enhance care delivery for children with SCD through focus groups with community partners in a midwestern metropolitan area. Using qualitative descriptive methodology, we conducted two focus groups and three individual interviews with 12 community partners, including health care providers and advocates. Thematic analysis revealed three key findings: persistent multi-level knowledge gaps about SCD, the importance of strategic partnerships between health care organizations and community groups, and specific community-identified solutions for sustainable collaboration. Results highlighted how structured partnerships between academic institutions and community organizations can address systemic barriers in SCD care delivery through knowledge sharing, resource access, and coordinated screening protocols, informing practical strategies for implementing sustainable improvements in care coordination.