Occupational therapy and substance use disorders: are practitioners addressing these disorders in practice?

Occupational therapy practitioners across all practice settings were surveyed in order to determine whether practitioners were assessing substance use disorders, and what interventions were used with clients who have or were suspected to have substance use disorders. Reasons practitioners did not address a clients' substance use disorder were explored. The perceptions of practitioners regarding their competence to assess and treat substance use disorders were also examined. The results of this study indicated that the majority of occupational therapy practitioners sampled outside the mental health setting did not routinely assess or treat substance use disorders. The findings of this study suggest that practitioners need to incorporate assessment and treatment of substance use disorders and their subsequent occupational performance deficits into daily practice regardless of practice area to assure holistic and comprehensive treatment.