Occupational Therapists as Social Prescribers: Insights from Swedish Primary Care

Loneliness is increasingly recognized as a public health issue, with social prescribing gaining global interest as a useful approach to address social needs by connecting patients to non-medical community resources. Occupational therapists have previously been recognized as well suited for social prescribing initiatives, yet their role remains underexplored.

This study aims to explore occupational therapists' experiences of a social prescribing model as well as the professions' role in applying it in Swedish primary care to alleviate loneliness among older adults.

Semi-structured individual interviews with 10 occupational therapists were conducted digitally. The data analysis was guided by reflexive thematic analysis.

The social prescribing model was perceived as potentially valuable to address loneliness among older adults in primary care. While occupational therapists felt that their professional expertise positioned them well to contribute to the approach, they also identified important constraints that limited their capacity in their role as social prescribers.

To realize the social prescribing model's potential in Swedish primary care, the complexity of loneliness and social activities must be acknowledged. Efforts are also needed to lower thresholds for social participation, and fostering collaboration across organizational and professional boundaries.