The country of Zambia's Sixth National Development Plan includes many objectives related to participation and health that align with values underlying occupational therapy. Given this link, occupational therapy research has the potential to advance the Sixth National Development Plan and thereby enhance the participation and health of Zambians. However, there is neither a school of occupational therapy nor many occupational therapists working in Zambia. Using an example of a global research partnership between Canadian occupational therapy researchers and Zambian researchers, this paper examines the partnership using four criteria for global health research in order to derive lessons for future occupational therapy research partnerships. Implications for future occupational therapy research partnerships include the need for partners to combine their complementary skills and knowledge so that they may collaborate in mutually beneficial ways to address global health challenges and expand the reach of occupational therapy perspectives. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/oti.1346

International research partnerships in occupational therapy: a Canadian-Zambian case study.

Since the 1980s, the number of organizations worldwide providing international development programming has risen greatly; the majority of these regard ‘development’ as inherent to their organizatio...

Occupation-for-Development: Expanding the Boundaries of Occupational Science into the International Development Agenda

Objectiv e: This scoping review explores the role of occupational therapy in African countries including major practice areas, specific activities within practice areas, and potential considerations unique to the African context. Method : Two authors independently reviewed articles from online database searches and manual searches of reference lists and specific Occupational Therapy journals using a combination of keywords related to ‘Occupational Therapy’, ‘Africa’, and ‘role’. Articles were included based on pre-determined eligibility criteria (i.e., peer-reviewed, English articles that describe occupational therapists’ tasks/ activities) and discussion to reach consensus. The authors charted data through content analysis of the articles based on the review’s objectives prior to drawing out common themes relevant to the African context. Results : Thirty-two articles were included covering twelve African countries, though predominantly focused on South Africa. Findings demonstrate that, despite having tasks specific to practice areas, the overarching role of occupational therapy is facilitating engagement in meaningful occupation. Additionally, the findings highlight a vital role for African therapists in community-based services and the need to consider the unique cultural context in practice. Conclusion : Congruent with universal occupational therapy principles, Occupational Therapy in Africa aims to facilitate engagement in meaningful occupation, but therapists should consider their unique cultural context to ensure meaningful and sustainable outcomes whilst maintaining a valuable universal identityObjective: This scoping review explores the role of occupational therapy in African countries including major practice areas, specific activities within practice areas, and potential considerations unique to the African context. Key words : Occupational Therapy, Occupational Therapists, Africa, role, culture, community-based

/pdf/the-role-of-occupational-therapy-in-africa-a-scoping-review-4uxnsthjbw.pdf

The role of Occupational Therapy in Africa: A scoping review

Purpose: Occupational therapy (OT) is a global health profession that promotes participation in meaningful occupations to enhance well-being, particularly for persons with disabilities. Occupational therapy is relatively new in many African countries and there is limited research regarding the role of OT in this region. Thus, this study aims to understand the role and scope of OT in Africa by exploring its unique contribution to healthcare and cultural considerations for practicing OT in various African contexts.Methods: We conducted an exploratory qualitative descriptive study involving semi-structured interviews with 15 occupational therapists from 11 African countries. Interview questions focused on participants' work activities, rewards and challenges of their work, and perceived contribution to healthcare. We audio-recorded and transcribed interviews followed by inductive thematic analysis.Results: All participants described maintaining multiple roles. Four main themes (with sub-themes) emerged: advocacy (clients and the profession), collaboration (multi-disciplinary team, professional support, and internationally), maintaining core OT principles (occupation, function, participation, empowerment, and holistic practice), and contextual considerations (community-based services, practice approaches, sustainability, cultural norms, and spirituality).Conclusions: Occupational therapists working in African contexts have a unique and challenging role involving advocacy and collaboration. They need to maintain core OT values whilst addressing contextual considerations to ensure culturally relevant practice.Implications for RehabilitationOccupational therapists have an important role in promoting health and well-being; however, practice is influenced by the cultural context.Occupational therapists in Africa maintain multiple roles, including advocacy for their clients and the profession, and collaboration within a multidisciplinary team, for professional support and internationally.African occupational therapists need to be rooted in core OT principles whilst considering their unique context to ensure culturally relevant practice.

The role and scope of occupational therapy in Africa

Operating under the rubric of sport-for-development, nongovernmental organizations have mobilized sport activities as a tool for international development. Along with these initiatives, a scholarly analysis of the phenomenon has emerged. However, this body of research has not included analysis from a critical occupational perspective. This is a conspicuous shortcoming since, in the language of occupational science, sport-fordevelopment initiatives are occupation-based programs. This study explored sport-for-development using a critical occupational approach to research I constructed, wherein the central site of knowledge production was occupations used in sport-for-development programs. Through five case studies with sport-fordevelopment organizations in Lusaka, Zambia, I describe how staff and youth participants spoke about and understood the use of sport occupations in sport-fordevelopment programs and the sport-for-development ideologies and practices in Zambia and how these shaped the participation of youth. Data generation included observing program activities, interviewing participants, and analyzing organization documents. The findings drew attention to the form, function, and meaning of the sport occupations used in sport-for-development, and illuminate that football, which is a heavily gendered and segregated sport, was constructed as the preferential activity for programs. This prioritization of football, in conjunction with a hierarchical, authoritative approach to

https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bitstream/1807/34827/1/Njelesani_Janet_E_201211_PhD_thesis.pdf

Examining Sport-for-development Using a Critical Occupational Approach to Research

Little is known of the occupational therapy interventions available to occupational therapy clients living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the developing world. Part 1 of this article outlined the background literature in this area. Part 2 details a small, interview-based study of ten HIV-positive Ugandan women taking part in such an intervention; an occupational therapy incomegeneration group. The study sought to identify reasons for falling attendance at the group. The study findings reflect both the challenges of being HIV-positive, and the factors influencing women's participation in the group. The women attributed a range of social, emotional and practical benefits to group attendance, relating these to social support and empowerment, as well as opportunities to go beyond the home environment, learn new skills and earn money. The negative aspects of group attendance cited were all interpersonal in nature, relating to conflict with participants' peers and group leaders. This study discu...

An occupational therapy income-generation group for HIV-positive women in Uganda: Part 2

Little is known of the occupational therapy interventions available to occupational therapy clients living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the developing world. This two-part series explores one group of female clients’ views of taking part in such an intervention; an occupational therapy income-generation group. In this, the first part of the article, the authors outline the relevant background literature, exploring research on support group attendance, social support for HIV-positive people and the value of income-generation activities for women in developing countries. This material shows that people with chronic health conditions, especially those from potentially stigmatised groups, can obtain much-valued practical, psychological, social and economic support from therapeutic group attendance. This suggests that occupational therapy has much to offer this potential client group. The authors used this material to underpin a small qualitative study of ten HIV-positive Ugandan women taking...

Moses Kamba

Papers

An occupational therapy income-generation group for HIV-positive women in Uganda: Part 2

An occupational therapy income-generation group for HIV-positive women in Uganda: Part 1