Occupation-Based Practice Among Iranian Occupational Therapists: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Area of Science:

• Occupational Therapy
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Occupation-based practice (OBP) is globally emphasized, yet its implementation in Iran lacks sufficient research.
• Understanding OBP usage and influencing factors among Iranian occupational therapists is crucial for promoting client-centered care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess knowledge, attitudes, interests, usage rates, and environmental factors of OBP among Iranian occupational therapists.
• To examine the relationship between sociodemographic factors and OBP adoption.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional analytical study involving 202 occupational therapists across Iran.
• Data collected via demographic and OBP questionnaires, analyzed using SPSS with ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and T-test.

Main Results:

• 60.7% of therapists utilize OBP approaches, with an overall performance of 64%.
• Positive attitudes (83.6%) and high interest (78.3%) were noted, contrasted by environmental barriers (44.7%) and average knowledge (65.6%).
• Higher OBP scores were observed in government settings, among PhD holders, and correlated with work experience.

Conclusions:

• Despite positive attitudes, environmental factors and knowledge deficits impede full OBP implementation in Iran.
• Targeted education and systemic changes are needed to enhance OBP adoption.
• Findings offer insights into global OBP integration challenges and solutions.