Mapping the occupational therapy workforce research worldwide: Study protocol for a scoping review.

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Occupational Therapy
• Human Resources for Health

Background:

• Human Resources for Health (HRH) research is crucial for evidence-based health policies.
• Occupational therapists are vital for global health, rehabilitation, and occupational needs.
• The current state of global occupational therapy workforce research is largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically map and synthesize worldwide occupational therapy workforce research.
• To establish a quantitative overview of the existing literature.

Main Methods:

• Systematic searches of scientific databases and institutional websites.
• Snowballing searches and expert recommendations from the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.
• Exclusion of non-English, non-Spanish, non-Portuguese, educational, and non-empirical research.

Main Results:

• Data extraction on methods, geographies, aims, and findings.
• Quantitative mapping of the literature based on 10 workforce research categories.
• Content analysis to understand the focus of the research.

Conclusions:

• The review's results will support broad consultations for occupational therapy workforce development.
• Findings can inform strategic local and global initiatives for the occupational therapy workforce.