Finding a Voice: Overcoming Shame Through a Classroom Collective Exploration of Vulnerability

In keeping with the call for greater justice and diversity within the occupational therapy profession, many educational programs are taking steps to infuse diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across their curriculum. In this paper, we will introduce the theoretical concepts underpinning the first assignment in a DEI curriculum thread in one entry-level occupational therapy doctoral (OTD) program, grounding it in critical pedagogy and exploring how it provides a first step to critical aptitude by providing space for an open-ended, reflexive dialogue about subjective experiences of internalized shame and marginalization. Students learn how to practice self awareness, understand shame culture, and recognize their own positionality within a greater culture of shame and oppression, particularly around healthcare. Evaluation of the innovation is presented, both from students and faculty, demonstrating the value in this assignment as a first step toward developing cultural humility

Toward a Defined Role for Occupational Therapy in Foster Care Transition Programming

Youth who age out of the foster care system and transition to adulthood face challenges that are exacerbated by a history of trauma, severed relationships, and instability of living and educational placements. A review of the literature demonstrates poor outcomes overall for this population. Occupational therapists are positioned to meet the needs that arise during this time; however, a review of emerging roles for occupational therapists is necessary to describe how occupational therapists can best fulfill gaps in current programming. Through a review of the literature and a preliminary mixed-methods study, this paper establishes a direction for the inclusion of occupational therapy for youth aging out of foster care using the Person Environment Occupation Performance (PEOP) model as a structure. Federal, state, and local organizations provide resources to assist transitioning foster youth. However, there is a lack of collaborative, individualized, and evidence-based approaches reporting good outcomes. Specific occupational therapy interventions are suggested to delineate our role with this high-risk population during transition to independent living: both novel interventions and additions to current evidence-based programming

Health Management: Occupational Therapy’s Key Role in Educating Clients About Reliable Online Health Information

Background: Only 12% of Americans possess proficient health literacy skills. Among those with the lowest health literacy are individuals with chronic health conditions. Occupational therapists are well prepared to assist these clients with health literacy, given our roles in teaching new health management skills and health promotion. Methods: An educational course was designed and taught to over 100 individuals and caregivers with chronic health conditions to assist in finding and determining trustworthy health information online. An author designed pre postsurvey was used to evaluate effectiveness. Results: There was a significant pre-post change in four categories: finding quality health information online (M = 0.703), judging trustworthiness of online health information (M = 0.624), understanding health information (M = 0.489), and retrieving information using email alerts (M = 0.826). Conclusion: The ability to find and evaluate health information online empowers clients to fully participate in medical care. Evidence shows that this skill can be efficiently taught to clients or client groups for improved health management. Providing training in finding trustworthy health information online is a skill that occupational therapists can successfully teach in conjunction with overall health management skills for improved occupational participation

Awareness (measured as Self- Reported Familiarity [SRF]) of chronic and acute health conditions amongst physical and occupational therapists.

<p>Awareness (measured as Self- Reported Familiarity [SRF]) of chronic and acute health conditions amongst physical and occupational therapists.</p

We asked participants to describe their understanding of CMV transmission (S1 Appendix, Question 13).

<p>We used these data to examine the demonstrated understanding of participant Health Risk Knowledge (HRK) regarding cCMV.</p

Summary of main behavioral precautions to reduce the risk of cytomegalovirus (CMV) transmission in therapeutic settings.

<p>Summary of main behavioral precautions to reduce the risk of cytomegalovirus (CMV) transmission in therapeutic settings.</p

Self-Reported Knowledge (SRK) and Health Risk Knowledge (HRK) of respondents, grouped by demographic variable (N = 230).

<p>Proportion of respondents given in parentheses. Note that not all questions had responses from all participants.</p

Respondent familiarity with health conditions and illnesses (N = 207).

<p>Proportion of respondents given in parentheses. * indicates most common response.</p

We asked participants to rank their familiarity with health conditions on a 4-point scale (S1 Appendix, Question 8) in order to quantify cCMV awareness levels.

<p>We recoded these data to calculate the summary variable Self-Reported Familiarity (SRF).</p