American Journal of Occupational Therapy最新文献

This AOTA Position Statement defines the role of occupational therapy practitioners and describes their distinct approaches and value in the delivery of occupational therapy services for people with feeding, eating, and swallowing impairments and performance limitations.

In her lecture for the inaugural Dr. Lela A. Llorens Award of Excellence for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Dr. Shirley A. Wells acknowledges the growing importance of creating more inclusive and equitable environments across all aspects of health care, with occupational therapy being no exception. Inclusion and integration are fundamental values that should be woven into every part of the practice of occupational therapy. It is not enough to be aware of these concepts; occupational therapists must actively engage in Acts of Inclusion and Integration in their delivery of care, collaboration with clients and colleagues, and shaping of the future of the field. Dr. Wells highlights examples of how occupational therapists can break down barriers to create spaces where everyone feels valued and supported.

The American Journal of Occupational Therapy (AJOT) has maintained its top-ranking status in the field of occupational therapy while expanding its efforts related to knowledge translation and improving reporting standards. Key outcomes for 2025 showcase the journal's breadth and depth, with 137 articles published, including a special issue on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, Accessibility, and Belonging in Occupational Therapy Practice and Education. The AJOT Authors & Issues interview series also reached more than 21,000 views in 2025, doubling viewership from 2024.

Importance: Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) in the upper extremity can significantly affect the ability of patients to participate in preferred activities, yet measuring this effect is challenging because of limited suitable tools.

Objective: To understand the impact of PNI on activity participation on basis of the activities' motor demands (fine motor, gross motor, and/or bimanual). We hypothesized that fine motor activities would show lower retention than gross motor or nonmotor activities, that hand dexterity would correlate with fine motor retention, and that unimanual activities would be retained more than bimanual activities.

Design: Cross-sectional observational study.

Setting: Two upper extremity rehabilitation clinics.

Participants: Forty-eight patients with unilateral PNI in the upper extremity.

Outcomes and measures: Primary outcome was participation retention rates in five activity dimensions, as assessed with the Activity Card Sort.

Results: Participants retained fewer gross motor activities than fine motor activities. Pain and health-related quality of life were the only patient factors significantly associated with participation. Hand dexterity did not correlate with fine motor retention, and unimanual activities showed higher retention than bimanual activities, regardless of the injured side.

Conclusions and relevance: Patterns of activity loss after PNI cannot be fully explained by motor demands alone. Although addressing specific motor skills remains important, participation is shaped by a complex interplay of physical, personal, and contextual factors as well as compensation and difficulties with bimanual tasks, even in unilateral injuries. Rehabilitation should incorporate activity-based assessments that capture real-world challenges and support individualized intervention planning. Plain-Language Summary: Nerve injuries in the upper extremity can significantly affect the ability to engage in essential activities. This study aimed to enhance the assessment of activity participation for people with upper extremity nerve injuries. We found that focusing on specific motor skills, such as fine and gross motor skills, gives a better understanding of how nerve injuries affect engagement in important activities. Hand dexterity, as measured using standard tools, was not linked to the ability to retain fine motor activities. These findings suggest that, to tailor interventions to enhance overall recovery, rehabilitation should include an individualized assessment (in addition to standard scales) to identify the activities that depend on the patient's specific motor skills impairments.

This AOTA Position Statement articulates the principles, values, and beliefs that guide the practice of occupational therapy. The document provides a foundation for entry-level education and supports advocacy.

Importance: The demand for effective home-based rehabilitation is increasing with the aging global population. Occupational therapy supports older adults in maintaining and improving activity and participation; however, standardized intervention approaches, consistent outcome measures, and goal-setting frameworks are still lacking.

Objective: To systematically map current home-based occupational therapy interventions aimed at enhancing activity and participation among community-dwelling older adults and identify research gaps in intervention methods, evaluations, and designs.

Data sources: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Ichushi Web, and J-Stage were searched without time restrictions. Additional relevant studies were identified manually.

Study selection and data collection: Studies involving community-dwelling adults age 65 yr or older were included. Data on intervention strategies, outcome measures, and research designs were extracted and categorized by using qualitative methods.

Findings: Fifty-four studies were included. Interventions ranged from activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental ADLs (IADLs) training and environmental modifications to structured programs such as Community Aging in Place-Advancing Better Living for Elders (CAPABLE) and Reablement. However, outcome measures were highly diverse (126 unique tools), and 16 nonstandardized assessments were identified, mostly in case reports. Although many studies showed positive effects, the diversity of study designs and limited use of remote interventions hindered generalizability and long-term evidence building.

Conclusions and relevance: Home-based occupational therapy can positively affect older adults' activity, participation, and quality of life. However, standardized evaluation methods, integration of remote approaches, and culturally tailored intervention programs are needed to strengthen evidence and guide clinical practice. Plain-Language Summary: This review examined studies on home-based occupational therapy for older adults. Interventions often targeted activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, and environmental adaptations. Most occupational therapy interventions showed benefits in everyday function and well-being. However, a lack of standardized tools and goal-setting methods, variation in study quality, and limited evidence on remote rehabilitation remain challenges.

Importance: Despite the growing recognition of sports as meaningful occupations, occupational therapy's contributions regarding specific populations, intervention approaches, and outcome measures remain underexplored.

Objective: To map evidence on the characterization of occupational therapy in sports and types of occupational therapy interventions provided to support participation, recovery, and performance in sports-related settings.

Data sources: A search was conducted across CINAHL, EBSCO, PubMed, and SCOPUS databases, covering studies published from 2000 to 2024.

Study selection and data collection: Peer-reviewed studies were included if they discussed occupational therapy's role in sports, including leisure and competitive contexts, with interventions focusing on recovery, rehabilitation, or performance enhancement. Data were charted to identify key themes, study characteristics, populations, interventions, and outcomes.

Findings: Thirteen studies were included. Occupational therapy in sports was characterized by its holistic focus on physical, emotional, and social rehabilitation, particularly in adaptive and competitive contexts. Interventions included assistive technology, education, and client-centered approaches, with reported outcomes such as improved quality of life, athletic performance, and psychosocial well-being. Barriers included resource limitations and stigma.

Conclusions and relevance: Occupational therapy plays a multifaceted role in sports, enhancing participation, recovery, and performance through client-centered and adaptive interventions. Addressing systemic barriers and expanding culturally tailored approaches can further advance occupational therapy's integration into sports contexts. Future research should focus on underrepresented populations and long-term intervention outcomes to strengthen evidence-based practice. Plain-Language Summary: Occupational therapy helps athletes and sports participants recover, perform, and engage meaningfully in sports activities. This study reviews evidence on how occupational therapy supports sports participation, including using adaptive tools and education to improve performance and quality of life. Occupational therapy can address athletes' physical and emotional challenges, but more research is needed to expand occupational therapy's role in diverse sports settings and ensure accessibility for all.

The 2025 Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics (the Code) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) reflects the dynamic and inclusive nature of the occupational therapy profession, the evolving health care landscape, and the impact of emerging technologies that may present ethical considerations in practice, research, education, and policy. AOTA members are dedicated to fostering inclusion, equity, participation, safety, and well-being for all individuals, across diverse identities, abilities, and life circumstances. AOTA members are committed to empowering every person, group, family, organization, community, or population they serve to help them achieve their occupational goals and meet their unique needs.

This AOTA Position Statement defines the distinct role and value of occupational therapy in supporting vestibular functioning across the lifespan.