Occupation and Health: A Review of Selected Literature

Abstract

Occupational therapy is based on the belief that people can influence the state of their health through what they do. However, there appears to be a shortage of evidence to support this belief. This paper describes a review of selected literature on the effects of occupation on health. The aims were to review how occupation and health are defined in the occupational therapy literature; to find synonyms for these two terms to enable a search for relevant literature; to review evidence for a relationship between what people do and their health; and to identify factors that mediate the relationship between occupation and health. The review had five main findings: occupation and health are defined in a variety of ways by occupational therapists; there is a wealth of literature, representing a number of disciplines and a wide range of research, that explores the relationship between occupation and health; engaging in occupation carries both potential health benefits and risks to health; there is limited knowledge of the ways in which occupation influences health; and the impact of occupation on health is mediated by a complex range of factors. These findings have implications for occupational therapy research, practice and education.

O Uso Dos Conceitos De Ocupação E Atividade Na Terapia Ocupacional: Uma Revisão Sistemática Da Literatura

“…A busca com os termos em inglês occupational therapy and occupation resultou em 227 artigos, e a busca com os termos occupational therapy and activity resultou em 145 artigos, tendo sido selecionados para análise aqueles que tratavam especificamente da terminologia ou da definição dos conceitos de ocupação e atividades, ou seja, foram selecionados 12 estudos da literatura de língua inglesa (BAUERSCHMIDT; NELSON, 2011;CREEK;HUGHES, 2008;HAMMELL, 2009;HOCKING, 2013;MÜLLERSDORF, , 2009K ANTARTZIS;MOLINEUX, 2011;LARSON, 2004;MOLKE;RUDMAN, 2009;REED;HOCKING;SMYTHE, 2013;DENNHARDT, 2008 (BENETTON, 2008;OKUMA, 2011MAGALHÃES, 2013;MORAES, 2008;PIERCE, 2003;SILVA, 2013 …”

“…Os resultados da ocupação podem melhorar a autoconfiança da pessoa (IVARSSON Além disso, considera-se que a ocupação pode prevenir, desenvolver e proporcionar prazer e felicidade, e, portanto, influenciar a saúde e o bem-estar. A ocupação é considerada uma necessidade humana básica, de importância central para a saúde e o bem-estar (RUDMAN; DENNHARDT, 2008;MÜLLERSDORF, 2009;CREEK;HUGHES, 2008;.…”

“…Na literatura de língua inglesa, o termo atividade frequentemente é desvalorizado, havendo, muitas vezes, uma relação hierárquica com o termo ocupação, que é priorizado na terminologia da profissão (MAGALHÃES, 2013;CREEK;HUGHES, 2008).…”

Occupational Transition of Smoking Cessation in Women: “You're Restructuring Your Whole Life”

“…A single occupation can simultaneously have positive and negative effects on health (see also Creek & Hughes, 2008). Conceptualizing addictions and impulse control disorders as occupations heightens the possibility of recognizing their positive potential.…”

“…Occupations need not be societally viewed as healthpromoting to be meaningful (Creek & Hughes, 2008;Twinley, 2013). Smoking was clearly meaningful for these women, a source of enjoyment, connection and belonging, a form of reward, a way of coping.…”