Evaluation of occupational therapy workshops to prevent work-related injuries or illnesses among vocational students

Abstract

Background. The few studies aiming to evaluate prevention interventions provided by occupational therapists in health at work were conducted in work settings. However, to intervene in primary prevention, developing occupational therapy interventions with students learning a trade is relevant. Objective. To evaluate workshops designed and set up by occupational therapists on vocational students' preventive behavior at work. Method. A systematic approach was used to design and set up the prevention workshops for students of cooking and hairstyling programs. Evaluation focused on three variables: 1) satisfaction with workshops, 2) apprenticeship, and 3) behavior observed. Results. Results were positive on the three variables. Also, students who took part in the workshops showed near 15 % (p < 0.05) more preventive behavior than those who received the traditional prevention training only. Conclusion. This study supports the effective role of occupational therapists to promote vocational students' preventive behavior at work. The promising results open the door to the arrival of occupational therapists in vocational training centers.