Wheeled and Seated Mobility Devices Provision: Quantitative Findings and SWOT Thematic Analysis of a Global Occupational Therapist Survey.

PURPOSE: To better understand the global role of occupational therapists and explore facilitators and barriers impacting user access to high quality, affordable wheeled and seated mobility device (WSMD) provision worldwide. METHODS: Mixed-method approach utilizing quantitative findings and qualitative strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis of a global online survey. RESULTS: A total of 696 occupational therapists from 61 countries completed the survey. Almost 49% had 10 or more years of experience with the provision of WSMDs. WSMD provision had positive, significant associations with attainment of certification (0.000), higher service funding (0.000), higher country income (0.001), standardized training (0.003), continuous professional development (0.004), higher experience (0.004), higher user satisfaction (0.032), custom-made device provision (0.038), higher staff capacity (0.040), and more time working with users (0.050); negative, significant associations were identified with high cost of WSMDs (0.006) and pre-made device provision (0.019). SWOT analysis identified high country income, funding, experience, training, certification from global partners, variety of roles and practice settings, and interdisciplinary teamwork as strengths and opportunities for professional growth, while low country income, lack of time/staff capacity/standardization/support services, and poor access to proper devices were indicated as weaknesses and threats. CONCLUSION: Occupational therapists are skilled healthcare professionals and provide a variety of WSMD services. Efforts to build collaborative partnerships, enhance access to occupational therapists and funding options, improve service and standards for WMSD service delivery, and promote professional development will help to overcome challenges and facilitate WSMD provision globally. Promoting practices based on best available evidence for WSMD provision worldwide should be prioritized.

Patient Satisfaction with Occupational Therapy Services for Wheeled Mobility and Seating Devices.

Satisfaction of 81 patients was evaluated before and after receiving occupational therapy services. There was a statistically significant difference between patients' scores before and after receiving occupational therapy services (p < .05). Over 85% indicated a high satisfaction in relation to quality and health outcomes attributed to occupational therapy services, 44% reported barriers related to limited availability, accessibility, and knowledge of occupational therapy services, and 35% made suggestions for improvements. Patient-therapist communication and easy access to occupational therapy services can enhance occupational therapy knowledge, lead to positive patient experience and quality health outcomes, and higher patient satisfaction.

The Modified Interest Checklist: Translation and Cultural Adaptation Among an Arabic-Speaking Inpatient Psychiatric Sample.

IMPORTANCE: People with mental disorders usually have emotional, behavioral, and physical health problems, such as decreased enjoyment of life and lack of interest. It is important to have an assessment to measure these problems because interest is a powerful psychological state that makes people fully engaged and focused. Measuring people's level of interest provides an understanding of their needs, behaviors, thoughts, and personalities. OBJECTIVE: To develop and culturally adapt the Arabic translation of the Modified Interest Checklist for Arabic-speaking clients with psychiatric disorders. DESIGN: A multistage process involving cognitive debriefing and back translation. SETTING: Two inpatient mental health hospitals in Saudi Arabia. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty-eight English- and Arabic-speaking adult clients with psychiatric disorders. RESULTS: Significant moderate agreement was found between the scores obtained from the two versions (p < .000). The κ measurement of agreement was 0.59 (95% confidence interval [0.42, 0.76]). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The Arabic translation of the Modified Interest Checklist was generated for potential use in research and clinical practice with Arabic-speaking clients with psychiatric disorders and mental health conditions. Further validation of the developed Arabic version is imperative. What This Article Adds: This brief report provides a culturally adapted Arabic translation of the Modified Interest Checklist that could be useful to rehabilitation professionals who would like to use this checklist for Arabic-speaking clients with psychiatric disorders and mental health conditions.

Psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical and rehabilitation sciences university students in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with increased stressful impact among different populations that are at an increased risk of mental health problems, such as university students. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical and rehabilitation sciences university students, explore the factors affecting them, and provide helpful recommendations for better mental health. METHODS: An online survey was conducted with a sample of medical and rehabilitation sciences students. The anxiety visual analogue scale, the perceived stress scale (PSS), and the impact of events scale-revised (IES-R) were applied. RESULTS: A total of 244 students completed the survey (60.7% were female). The mean scores of total anxiety, PSS and IES-R were significantly higher in females than males. 34.5% and 29.4% of the students reported that their sleep and appetite were respectively disturbed during the pandemic. Students with adequate knowledge about the COVID-19 pandemic reported a significant decrease in anxiety level (p = 0.01), perceived stress (p = 0.00), and less negative impacts of the pandemic (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: This study shed light on factors that play a major role in anxiety, perceived stress and stressful impact of COVID-19 pandemic among medical and health sciences students, such as gender, knowledge, educational level, presence of chronic condition, and family financial status. Developing proper mental health management guidelines and providing psychological support are recommended and should be considered.