Issues

This Health Policy Perspectives column describes social drivers of health (SDOH) and the evolving landscape in health care. The authors offer insights and perspectives on the roles occupational therapy practitioners can play to address SDOH.

This study assesses the feasibility of HARMONY (Helping older Adults cReate & Manage OccupatioNs successfully), a novel occupational therapy telehealth intervention to support occupational engagement in community-residing people with Alzheimer’s disease. The findings show that HARMONY has promise for improving functional activity performance and behavioral symptoms, as well as caregiver satisfaction.

This critical review identifies the key constructs of the new Addressing Wicked Problems conceptual model. By using their leadership, communication, and collaboration skills, occupational therapists are well suited to be key stakeholders in addressing wicked problems, which have no obvious solutions.

The study findings support the clinical efficacy and feasibility of constraint-induced movement therapy and bimanual intensive training protocols for children with unilateral cerebral palsy.

This study examines the preliminary efficacy of a group-based multicomponent cognitive intervention that integrates Lifestyle Redesign^® techniques to improve the daily function of adults with subjective cognitive decline.

This study examines the psychometric properties of a standardized assessment tool, the Tactile Perceptual Test, for measuring tactile performance in children with cerebral palsy and for designing appropriate occupational therapy interventions.

This study demonstrates that a three-dimensional printed dynamic upper extremity orthosis, which was designed and fabricated by an interdisciplinary team, can, in combination with occupational therapy intervention, facilitate upper extremity function in children with severe hand impairment.

This foundational research explores the occupational injustices of the protracted refugee status of first-generation Palestinians in Jordan and identifies meaningful interventions to promote the alleviation of occupational disruption.

This study identified occupations that enhance an inherent sense of responsibility among people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Subjective knowledge of one’s actions and their consequences lie behind people’s daily occupations and their outcomes. Taking this knowledge into consideration when administering occupation-focused interventions can be beneficial for individuals with PD.

The Transportation Support Scale (TSS) has the potential to help measure and clarify care partners’ responses—both negative and positive—to driving cessation as well as inform the development and evaluation of services for care partners who are providing transportation to former drivers.

Occupational therapy practitioners should consider and evaluate subjective memory complaints from older adult clients as an early indicator of future memory impairment, limitations in the instrumental activities of daily living, and social participation restrictions.

This article highlights current assessment tools used by occupational therapists and speech and language pathologists who are treating pediatric feeding disorder (PFD) and the need for more standardized procedures and tools to evaluate children across the four domains of PFD.

This study supports the validity and reliability of the Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ11) in adults with Type 1 diabetes and demonstrates significant associations between occupational balance (OB) and health management behaviors. The study results may encourage greater consideration and assessment of OB in occupational therapy clinical practice.

This article highlights occupational therapy practitioners’ need to support electrical stimulation (ES) to address functional deficits for those with spinal cord injury. The authors identify the utility of existing clinical practice guidelines, challenges and opportunities to translate research findings into clinical practice, and desirable characteristics for an occupational therapy–specific ES clinical guide.

The findings of this study suggest that seating and mobility services provided by licensed rehabilitation professionals in El Salvador improve participation in occupations for people with disabilities inside and outside the home.

The main implication of this review is that parents perceive a lack of awareness and understanding of the unique learning needs of their children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at all school levels. This review offers practice recommendations for occupational therapists working with school-age children with ASD, their parents, and school staff.

This study produced a collection of feedback statements that might be useful in occupation-based interventions to create a sense of agency and responsibility among patients with Parkinson’s disease when performing daily or social occupations.

This study examined the efficacy of occupational therapy services for health outcomes, as determined by modified self-care and mobility items on the Continuity Assessment Record and Evaluation Tool. A faculty-led clinic provided underserved and uninsured communities with effective client-centered occupational therapy services, and results showed positive changes in clients’ self-care and mobility during an intervention period of one year.

This study found that despite differences in school instruction mode (in person, hybrid, or remote) and the influence of mental health early in the global COVID-19 pandemic, children’s participation in nonsedentary activity (outdoor play, leisure and extracurriculars) increased. Occupational therapy practitioners can play a role in reinforcing the importance of reengaging in activities and regular routines to promote health and well-being during challenging situations.

This brief report adds to the growing body of evidence for validity and reliability of the Evaluation in Ayres Sensory Integration^® Praxis tests. Assessment of praxis using valid and reliable measures is important for understanding factors affecting occupational participation.

This article explores the issue of occupational therapists’ not being eligible in most states to pursue formal administrative positions in public school systems. The authors identify solutions, primarily at the state level, to effect change so that occupational therapists can be recognized as credentialed educators to pursue these roles.

These Practice Guidelines provide a summary of evidence supporting interventions that address impairments resulting from traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the skills to improve occupational performance. Also included are case study examples and evidence graphics for practitioners to use in addressing the goals of adults with TBI as well as their caregiver’s needs.