Women in PovertyConsiderations for Occupational Therapy

The majority of poor people in the United States are women. This article discusses the causes and occupational limitations of being a poor woman in affluent America. The inequality women face at work and the impact of the welfare institution are both central issues in the proliferation and feminization of poverty. Occupational therapists treating poor women must be aware of the implications poverty has on occupational choices. As they seek to enhance the lives of poor women, therapists must be prepared to assist them in specific struggles of oppression, budgeting, parenting, self-esteem, and work and in the use of the social welfare system. This paper offers information and questions to occupational therapists who work with women living in poverty.