Psychosocial Assessment in Orthopedic Evaluations: A Clinical Tool for Occupational Therapists

When 1 touch a human hand, 1 touch heaven. - Malebranche Holistic, occupation-based treatment in a hand therapy setting is associated with enhanced patient outcomes (Chan & Spencer, 2004), yet it is easy for occupational therapists working in hand and upper extremity orthopedic settings to become fixated on the pathology and anatomy of medical diagnoses and inadvertently ignore psychosocial and contextual influences on rehabilitation. Although there is research that identifies how physical disease may lead to psychosocial role changes, there is a paucity of literature that addresses how hand and upper extremity injuries affect these roles (Schier & Chan, 2007). This scholarly project culminated in a clinical reference guide intended for use as a quick reference to assist occupational therapy providers in client centered and evidence based assessment and intervention for patients with upper extremity orthopedic injuries. Guided by the biopsychosocial and occupational adaptation frames of reference, this product supports an integrated care model that considers unique characteristics of physical anatomy, personal beliefs, and pertinent context for each and every patient seeking rehabilitation for upper extremity injury