Occupational intersectionality: Introduction, contextualisation, and relevance to occupational therapy practice

Area of Science:

• Occupational therapy
• Social sciences
• Public health

Background:

• Intersectionality examines how diverse sociocultural identities influence individuals' daily occupational lives.
• Multiple identities can create compounded societal positions of marginalization, discrimination, and oppression.
• Occupational intersectionality, viewed through human occupation and occupational justice, provides a critical lens for identifying inequities.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce and define the concept of occupational intersectionality.
• Examine its relationship to social and occupational justice, including the Participatory Occupational Justice Framework (POJF).
• Situate occupational intersectionality within the Canadian Occupational Therapy InterRelational Practice Process (COTIPP) and the Transactional Model of Occupation (TMO).

Main Methods:

• Review of intersectionality and introduction of occupational intersectionality.
• Examination of occupational intersectionality's links to social and occupational justice frameworks.
• Illustration of application through a vignette and contextualization with key practice models.

Main Results:

• Occupational intersectionality identifies how sociocultural identities and positionings perpetuate inequities.
• It highlights how these factors restrict occupational engagement and participation for diverse populations.
• The concept is discussed within the context of the POJF, COTIPP, and TMO.

Conclusions:

• Occupational intersectionality supports therapists in recognizing identities that hinder occupational engagement and well-being.
• Ongoing development and application are crucial for advancing social and occupational justice in practice.
• This critical perspective is essential for promoting equitable occupational participation.