Engagement in occupation and adaptation to low vision.

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to explore how engagement in occupation affects the adaptation process for older women with visual impairment. Data were collected and analyzed for seven participants using a constant comparative method. Nine categories emerged and were grounded in the data. A theoretical model was developed with the core category of adaptation. The interactions of participants' visual impairment, concurrent issues, threats to performance, losses, getting help, methods of doing, abilities, integration of losses and abilities, and adaptation. For these participants, the adaptation process was aided by getting help and finding methods of doing their preferred occupations.

Utilization of evidence-based practice by registered occupational therapists.

Although the use of evidence-based practice (EBP) is presently on the rise, there have been limited studies examining its use by occupational therapists within the US. The purpose of this study was to examine the use of EBP among registered occupational therapists in the occupational therapy intervention planning process. This descriptive study surveyed 500 members of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), of which 131 participants responded (26%). The results of the study supported the hypothesis that, within the sample studied, a minority of registered occupational therapists in the US utilize EBP in the intervention planning process. Other results included: (1) As level of academic education increased, the view of the importance of research to occupational therapy decreased. (2) As the years of practice increased, the use of research evidence in making clinical decisions decreased. As the occupational therapy profession moves towards utilization of EBP as a professional standard, it is imperative that the profession examines specific strategies to promote the adoption of such practice by its members, including the promotion of competency in evidence utilization, and the valuing of the established clinical reasoning skills of the practitioner while integrating research evidence into intervention planning to support professional practice.

Changes in daily experiences: perceptions of the care provider of the traumatic brain injured.

Occupational therapy practitioners are rapidly becoming more involved in community-based services. Practitioners must understand the effect on program participants as well as family or paid care providers. This study gives voice to care providers in a community-based program for survivors of traumatic brain injury run by occupational therapists and occupational therapy students. Roles, routines, and occupational choices of care providers changed dramatically with program involvement. These findings have implications for community-based programming and the collaborative integration of care providers. Implications for program outcomes and the health and well being of care providers are discussed.