Efficacy of telemedicine in occupational therapy: a pilot study.

The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the efficacy of using a less costly, low-bandwidth telemedicine system to evaluate occupational therapy clients in rural areas. Four residents (aged 63 +/- 10.2 years) from rural Tillery, North Carolina, were evaluated via either The Kohlman Evaluation of Living Skills or The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure. An occupational therapist in Tillery administered one of these tools, while a second occupational therapist at East Carolina University simultaneously scored the same tool by telemedicine link. Comparison of their responses revealed scoring differences in only one of four administered evaluations. Video images were insufficient for visualization of finer movements, but audio quality was excellent. The authors conclude that select occupational therapy evaluation data can be accurately transmitted and properly scored using low-bandwidth telemedicine systems.

Occupational therapy in the community: what, why, and how.

SUMMARY This paper discusses ways of defining community practice. It differentiates between the terms "community-based" and "community-built" and makes the argument that community-built occupational therapy practice is the best alternative.

Educating for community-based occupational therapy practice: a demonstration project.

SUMMARY This paper describes a demonstration program designed by one university Occupational Therapy program to prepare graduates to work in community-based practice settings. Faculty and students are involved in a partnership with designated community agencies to learn to assess needs, plan programs, and evaluate outcomes using a variety of research methodologies. Completion of the project is tied to the completion of a required master's degree research paper. Results of the first year of the project have been largely successful and those involved look forward to continuing the project in the future. The project is described and recommendations for change based on these results are presented.

Helping occupational therapy students and faculty develop cultural competence.

SUMMARY Given the need for health professionals, including occupational therapists, to be able to work with individuals and populations from a variety of cultures, this paper describes a qualitative study in which faculty and students from an occupational therapy program have been immersed in a community-built program serving African American, elderly citizens. Cultural competency and its measurement are addressed and used to assess positive results from the study.

Perceptions of occupational therapists regarding postprofessional education.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine how occupational therapists perceive postprofessional education, specifically the reasons for pursuing or not pursuing graduate education, as well as to examine the factors that seem most important. METHOD: Seven hundred and fifty members of the American Occupational Therapy Association who did not have advanced degrees were surveyed. Respondents were asked why they did or did not want to pursue postprofessional education and, for those respondents interested in graduate study, what factors were most important. The important factors were examined across the levels of age, years of experience, practice areas, and regions. RESULTS: Surveys were returned by 314 members (a response rate of 42%), with 22% indicating interest in postprofessional education and 78% indicating no interest. For reasons not to pursue postprofessional education, respondents indicated that they were not interested in returning to intensive coursework and that a higher degree would not help in the advancement of their career. The two major reasons for pursuing graduate education included personal development and to increase skills and knowledge. As age increased, interest in graduate school decreased; interest was highest in the 3-6 years of experience range. Practice-specific programs was the area of specialization most desired; other important factors were cost of program and clinical work emphasized. CONCLUSION: Results suggested that a relatively low number of occupational therapists consider pursuing postprofessional education. Thus, if graduate education is essential for the advancement of the profession, emphasis must be on clarifying the need for and value of postprofessional education.

Consultation:.

In order to survive and grow as a viable mental health care profession, occupational therapists must learn new ways of providing service. One such way is using consultation theory and techniques. This article reviews pertinent literature about consultation and summarizes Caplan's classification for use by occupational therapists who are, or are considering, working in community-based service delivery systems such as mental health centers. The article can be used by those needing basic knowledge as well as by those seeking resources for further information.

The relationship between choice of college major and prevalence of adult children of alcoholics.

This study was designed to clarify the possible relationship between choice of college major and prevalence of parental alcoholism. A total of 190 occupational and physical therapy (OT/PT) students were surveyed using the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test. Results were compared to those from a group of 211 marketing, mixed, and undecided majors. The allied health OT/PT group reflected a 33% prevalence of parental alcoholism. Furthermore, a significant difference was found between the allied health and nonallied health groups. Awareness of this prevalence can help faculty identify students who are adult children of alcoholics and refer them for help before potential problems arise when they become helping professionals.

Variables affecting specialty choice in occupational therapy.

Over the past 15 years, the number of occupational therapists entering the practice area of mental health has greatly declined. To determine the possible reasons for this decline, a random sample of 450 occupational therapy students who graduated in 1986 was surveyed to identify those factors that influence practice choice. Participants were asked to indicate their practice preferences at five points in time: before admission to the academic program, after completion of the academic program, after completion of Level I fieldwork, after completion of Level II fieldwork, and at first employment. The results from 212 questionnaires (a 47% response rate) indicated that the distribution of practice choices remained relatively consistent over time. After completion of the academic program, the choice of mental health practice was seen as negative. Specific negative influences were topic content, teaching methods, and teacher effectiveness. Level I fieldwork was perceived as a negative experience in all five practice areas, but was perceived most negatively in mental health. Level II fieldwork most influenced practice preferences. Specific positive factors were the student supervisor and the patient caseload.