Research Priorities

lilialjara

For the past 2 years, the Research Program of the WFOT has been working on a project to identify the research priorities in occupational therapy across the globe. Under the leadership of amazing delegates, this project will help us understand what are the research needs and strengths of different regions across the globe. Help us by joining the conversation here. What do you think are the occupational therapy research priorities of your country? Why?

Leave us your comments!

Michelle Kennelly

Hi, I work in Ireland in an intellectual disability service. I really feel that we need further research into the area of meaningful engagement in personal care and domestic care tasks for adults with moderate, severe intellectual disability and the role of OT in this area. Due to a lack of OT resources in ID services the OT resource is generally taken up with seating assessments and other equipment needs. It can be hard to highlight the role of OT in promoting quality of life through occupational engagement. I have commenced training with nursing and social care staff promoting engagement and equipping them with skills to encourage engagement and independence in personal care and domestic skills. I am hoping to complete research on its effectiveness eventually. If anyone has started or completed any similar training/projects I would be really interested and grateful for any information or ideas in this area. Thanks Michelle

jmq

Hi Liliana
I feel that occupational therapy has a key role to play within the employability arena, most notably within work retention exploring what impact occupational therapy has on work retention for those with health issues. Also very interested in the impact occupational therapy has in supporting those with health issues to regain work.
We really need good RCTs within this field and would be great to see more investment in services but we need the evidence of effectiveness first.
Many thanks an interested to network with those already researching in this area or interested in collaborating
Jean McQueen

Adriana

Hi,
I work in Brazil with people with severe mental health issues. I agree with jmq, as working is a difficult issue for this population over here. Also, i feel like we need to understand leisure for itself not relating it to work. As it is an idea from the 70s, that doenst dialogue with our reality anymore. (Not all our clients are able to work). I do believe, we need to give a step forward and research more about the role of leisure in our client's lives, how do they understand and live it, and how we bring it to the therapeutic project. I have been studying this topics, so I am interested in talking to those who are interested in them ( leisure, therapeutic project and O.T).

JackieCasey

Hi Liliana,
Having had the recent experience of working on a Cochrane review I feel that we need to think more about the study designs that we utilize when trying to evidence the effectiveness (or otherwise) of any of our interventions - aim for the stronger designs...... and consider collaborating with colleagues in other countries who are working with the same populations so that we can build sample size and hopefully more robust findings.
Jackie

h.lynch@ucc.ie

Michelle Kennelly wroteHi, I work in Ireland in an intellectual disability service. I really feel that we need further research into the area of meaningful engagement in personal care and domestic care tasks for adults with moderate, severe intellectual disability and the role of OT in this area. Due to a lack of OT resources in ID services the OT resource is generally taken up with seating assessments and other equipment needs. It can be hard to highlight the role of OT in promoting quality of life through occupational engagement. I have commenced training with nursing and social care staff promoting engagement and equipping them with skills to encourage engagement and independence in personal care and domestic skills. I am hoping to complete research on its effectiveness eventually. If anyone has started or completed any similar training/projects I would be really interested and grateful for any information or ideas in this area. Thanks Michelle

Hi Michelle
I know of a practitioner who is doing research for her masters with us in University College Cork on a case study of the impact on quality of life of a person with ID who lives in a residential setting. If you wanted to email me h.lynch@ucc.ie I can put you in contact? Helen

h.lynch@ucc.ie

lilialjara wroteFor the past 2 years, the Research Program of the WFOT has been working on a project to identify the research priorities in occupational therapy across the globe. Under the leadership of amazing delegates, this project will help us understand what are the research needs and strengths of different regions across the globe. Help us by joining the conversation here. What do you think are the occupational therapy research priorities of your country? Why?

Leave us your comments!

We have been involved in Ireland in developing a national approach to identifying research priorities, completed in 2010 through the use of Delphi methods. However, despite working through our research committee of our professional body (AOTI) to maximise involvement only about 38 OTs took part out of the full numbers of OTs in Ireland ( we believe there are over 2,000). So the published document on research priorities does not truly represent our OT priorities. So to support us to progress this agenda, we established our research strategy- see attached:

https://www.aoti.ie/attachments/8a23f621-5556-4e9f-b546-3198d0234c34.PDF

Helen

GE-Gómez

Mi nombre el Gloria Esmeralda Gómez, Soy investigadora en Colombia y llevo 4 años, investigando en discapacidad, ya tengo dos publicaciones en el tema, sin embargo veo que el tema de mayor impacto ha sido la inclusión laboral de Personas con discapacidad, es prioritario dar a conocer el rol de la Terapia Ocupacional en los procesos de colocación y reincorporación laboral.

[deleted]

Awesome research high-five I'd be happy to help out with any questions you may have as well I'll get your questionnaire sent on to you ASAP.

lilialjara

Hello colleagues!
I wanted to share with you that the WFOT conducted a recent survey of all member countries, and identified a set of international research priorities. You can access more information in the published article available at:

http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1539449216687528?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3dpubmed

carol duguid

Hello! I have only recently joined this forum. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in Scotland are putting together a research strategy to encourage ward based clinicians to develop research skills and confidently undertake research. I feel that when OT's are ward based in hsopitals they can lose their confidence in pursuing research projects. As a Professional Doctorate student I completed my study using an IPA approach to explore bodily ageing with a small group of older adults. With a population which is now reaching the oldest old category I feel this is an area which is worthy of attention nationally and internationally.
regards
Carol