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

Area of Science:

• Occupational therapy
• Community practice
• Health services research

Background:

• Defining community practice is crucial for effective occupational therapy.
• Existing definitions may not fully capture the nuances of community engagement.
• The terms 'community-based' and 'community-built' require clear differentiation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically analyze existing definitions of community practice in occupational therapy.
• To differentiate between 'community-based' and 'community-built' practice models.
• To advocate for the adoption of a community-built occupational therapy framework.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and conceptual analysis.
• Comparative analysis of 'community-based' versus 'community-built' paradigms.
• Argumentative synthesis to support the proposed model.

Main Results:

• Community-based practice often implies services delivered within a community setting.
• Community-built practice emphasizes co-creation and empowerment with the community.
• The community-built model offers a more participatory and sustainable approach.

Conclusions:

• Clear definitions are essential for advancing occupational therapy practice.
• The community-built model represents a more robust and empowering approach.
• Occupational therapy should prioritize community-built strategies for greater impact.