Community-Engaged Implementation Strategies in Occupational Therapy: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Implementation Science
• Occupational Therapy Research
• Community-Engaged Research

Background:

• Community-Engaged Implementation Research (CEIR) has potential for accelerating evidence-based interventions (EBIs).
• A knowledge gap exists regarding the current state of CEIR in occupational therapy.
• Synthesis of CEIR's concept, purpose, and operationalization is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the contexts, purposes, and operationalization of CEIR.
• Focus on implementation strategies within occupational therapy.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search across PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science.
• Included studies explicitly using CEIR for occupational therapy interventions.
• Thematic analysis of research context, purpose, and operationalization of community engagement activities.

Main Results:

• Six studies met inclusion criteria from 3,219 records.
• Community partners were primarily occupational therapy practitioners.
• CEIR informed research design and sustainability by building partnerships and capacity.
• Traditional community engagement activities (e.g., focus groups) were predominantly used.

Conclusions:

• Current CEIR in occupational therapy relies heavily on practitioners and traditional engagement methods.
• Implementation strategies developed often target practitioners without multilevel support.
• Recommendations include collaborating with diverse partners, exploring innovative CE activities, and developing multilevel strategies for equitable EBI translation.