The Perception of Allied Health Professionals on Occupational Therapy

Abstract

Occupational therapy is a client-centered health profession and is a part of an interdisciplinary team. Effective interdisciplinary practice occurs when each professional understands the role of another professional in the team. This resulted in optimal referral among the professionals that can benefit the clients to receive good care and service. However, it seems that referrals to occupational therapy are becoming lesser by day in specific settings and hospitals in Malaysia. This brings a perspective if other professions in the healthcare team understand the role of occupational therapists. This study is aimed at exploring the perception and misconceptions of allied health professionals on the roles of occupational therapists. A focus group discussion was conducted among seven allied health professionals using a heuristic approach. The interview data were analyzed thematically. Themes developed were (i) awareness of occupational therapy ecosystem, (ii) in cooperating togetherness for the benefit of the client, and (iii) addressing the limitation to enhance the occupational therapy visibility. Findings found that the knowledge of other healthcare practitioners and clients on the occupational therapist’s role is still limited. Role confusion and overlapping are common among other allied health professionals. Occupational therapy needs to continually promote the profession’s role and identity for the maximum benefit to the client and overall improvement.

Perceptions of Hand Surgery Patients About Occupational Therapy

“…Proper visual identification, such as a badge or uniform, could help the general population and health professionals, including medical practitioners, identify occupational therapists so that they would not have to verbally explain their role. 12 The population needs to have proper perceptions of occupational therapy to benefit from all that it offers.…”

How human anatomy is being taught in entry‐level occupational therapy programs in the United States

“…A 2007 Australian study found that OTs needed to advocate for their role in developing students' fine motor skills to increase students' ability to access services (Jackman & Stagnitti, 2007). More recently, a 2022 study conducted in Malaysia found that awareness of the role and contributions of OTs to interprofessional healthcare was extremely limited in both the public and other healthcare providers (Wan Yunus et al, 2022). Participants emphasized the responsibility that OTs have in making their profession valued and visible to their clients and their coworkers so that the field does not face marginalization (Wan Yunus et al, 2022).…”

“…There is an ever‐increasing need for competent healthcare professionals in the modern world. Within the fields of allied health and rehabilitation, occupational therapy is an essential component of the interdisciplinary rehabilitation team, alongside physical therapy and speech therapy (Wan Yunus et al, 2022). Occupational therapy students require an in‐depth foundation of anatomy, in addition to strong interprofessional communication and clinical reasoning skills, to produce interventions that can enhance the long‐term restoration of function (Schofield, 2013; Carroll & Lawson, 2014; Brown et al, 2015b).…”

Exploring Intermediate Students' Awareness and Interest in Occupational Therapy as a Career Choice

“…Studies indicate a gap in knowledge about OT among healthcare workers, including those in medical, dental, and nursing fields, as well as the general population in regions like Jordan, highlighting the necessity for increased awareness and understanding of the field (6,21). While research has been conducted internationally on the awareness of occupational therapy among healthcare students and professionals, and studies have examined the knowledge of physical therapy among intermediate students in Pakistan, there appears to be a dearth of literature specifically addressing the awareness and interest in occupational therapy as a career choice among high school students in areas such as Peshawar (22,23). The objective of this study is to delve into the awareness and interest levels among high school students in Peshawar regarding occupational therapy as a career choice, addressing a notable gap in the existing literature and contributing to a broader understanding of OT's potential impact on career selection processes.…”