INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to investigate reasons why people consulted an occupational therapist following cancer treatment, and to examine the outcome of occupational therapy interventions, in the context of multidisciplinary rehabilitation.METHODS: Data from 181 patients were collected retrospectively. The International Classification of Human Functioning and Health (ICF) was used to describe the reasons for occupational therapy consultation. Patients had completed the Canadian Occupational Performance Measurement (COPM) before and after the occupational therapy intervention. Change scores were calculated with a 95% confidence interval and a two-sided p-value obtained from a paired t-test.RESULTS: The reasons for occupational therapy consultation were predominantly within the ICF domain "Activities and Participation". On average, patients improved 3.0 points (95% CI 2.8-3.2) on the performance scale of the COPM, and 3.4 points (95% CI 3.2-3.7) on the satisfaction scale (both: p = <.001).CONCLUSION: The result of this study supports the added value of occupational therapy to cancer rehabilitation, and emphasise the positive effect of occupational therapy on everyday functioning. Controlled clinical studies are needed to strengthen the evidence.
Health interventions often do not reach blue-collar workers. Citizen science engages target groups in the design and execution of health interventions, but has not yet been applied in an occupational setting. This preliminary study determines barriers and facilitators and feasible elements for citizen science to improve the health of blue-collar workers. The study was conducted in a terminal and construction company by performing semi-structured interviews and focus groups with employees, company management and experts. Interviews and focus groups were analyzed using thematic content analysis and the elements were pilot tested. Workers considered work pressure, work location and several personal factors as barriers for citizen science at the worksite, and (lack of) social support and (negative) social culture both as barriers and facilitators. Citizen science to improve health at the worksite may include three elements: (1) knowledge and skills, (2) social support and social culture, and (3) awareness about lifestyle behaviors. Strategies to implement these elements may be company specific. This study provides relevant indications on feasible elements and strategies for citizen science to improve health at the worksite. Further studies on the feasibility of citizen science in other settings, including a larger and more heterogeneous sample of blue-collar workers, are necessary.
Global issues, including the current pandemic and ongoing climate change, shape voluntary and forced international migration flows in inequitable ways. Anti-immigrant discourses in the Global North seek to capitalize on public concerns about border control. Meanwhile, the greatest immigration challenges are borne by countries in the Global South. The majority of refugees who are forcibly displaced by war, political violence, poverty, and environmental disasters seek refuge in neighbouring regions where many states lack the capacity to adequately support them. Given these challenges, it is imperative for occupational scientists to work collaboratively to support equitable occupational possibilities for immigrants, refugees, and internally displaced persons. During this dialogic session we will 1) outline useful theoretical approaches for understanding how migration shapes engagement in occupations; 2) discuss specific ethical considerations and methods for studying migration and its occupational implications; and 3) share promising practices for working with people from migration backgrounds. Each topic will be introduced through a brief presentation from one of the co-authors sharing vignettes from their own research and professional experiences to ignite discussions. Following each of the three presentations, participants will be grouped strategically to build networks among those with similar interests. This may include grouping participants who share a language.>What are the gaps in occupation-based research on global migration, and how can these be collaboratively addressed?>How can occupational science contribute to discussions within migration studies?>What occupational concepts are most useful for studying different migrant populations?
MULTIFILE
Dutch society faces major future challenges putting populations’ health and wellbeing at risk. An ageing population, increase of chronic diseases, multimorbidity and loneliness lead to more complex healthcare demands and needs and costs are increasing rapidly. Urban areas like Amsterdam have to meet specific challenges of a growing and super divers population often with a migration background. The bachelor programs and the relating research groups of social work and occupational therapy at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences innovate their curricula and practice-oriented research by multidisciplinary and cross-domain approaches. Their Centres of Expertise foster interprofessional research and educational innovation on the topics of healthy ageing, participation, daily occupations, positive health, proximity, community connectedness and urban innovation in a social context. By focusing on senior citizens’ lives and by organizing care in peoples own living environment. Together with their networks, this project aims to develop an innovative health promotion program and contribute to the government missions to promote a healthy and inclusive society. Collaboration with stakeholders in practice based on their urgent needs has priority in the context of increasing responsibilities of local governments and communities. Moreover, the government has recently defined social base as being the combination of citizen initiatives, volunteer organizations , caregivers support, professional organizations and support of vulnerable groups. Kraktie Foundations is a community based ethno-cultural organization in south east Amsterdam that seeks to research and expand their informal services to connect with and build with professional care organizations. Their aim coincides with this project proposal: promoting health and wellbeing of senior citizens by combining intervention, participatory research and educational perspectives from social work, occupational therapy and hidden voluntary social work. With a boundary crossing innovation of participatory health research, education and Kraktie’s work in the community we co-create, change and innovate towards sustainable interventions with impact.
