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VanPuymbrouck L, Friedman C. Early Career Occupational Therapists' Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Occup Ther Health Care 2024; 38:530-549. [PMID: 36794316 DOI: 10.1080/07380577.2023.2175291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Occupational therapists entering the clinical workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced levels of uncertainty and stress. This study's aim was to explore the clinical experiences and concerns of early-career occupational therapists entering the workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 27). We administered an open-ended online survey and analyzed the data using inductive thematic analysis. Resulting themes included: safety, exposure, and transmission; implementation and enforcement of safety protocols; quality of care; and impact of the pandemic on overall health highlighting the issues that need to be addressed to be more prepared for future practice in an evolving environment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carli Friedman
- CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership, Towson, MD, USA
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Saragosa M, Goraya F, Serrano F, Nowrouzi-Kia B, Guilcher S, Abdul Aziz Y, Gohar B. From Crisis to Opportunity: A Qualitative Study on Rehabilitation Therapists' Experiences and Post-Pandemic Perspectives. Healthcare (Basel) 2024; 12:1050. [PMID: 38786460 PMCID: PMC11120773 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12101050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Rehabilitation therapists (RTs) have developed substantial mental health problems since the pandemic. Our study aimed to understand the experience of COVID-19 on occupational therapists and physiotherapists practicing in Canada, how the pandemic may have affected care delivery, and to identify new learnings articulated by RTs. A qualitative descriptive study design guided data collection through one-on-one interviews, dyadic interviews, and focus groups. We recruited active RTs across Canada, advertising on professional practice networks and social media platforms and using snowball sampling. Forty-nine RTs representing seven Canadian provinces participated. The four overarching themes developed using thematic analysis were (1) navigating uncertainty along with ever-changing practices, policies, and attitudes, (2) morphing roles within a constrained system, (3) witnessing patients suffering and experiencing moral distress, and (4) recognizing the personal toll of the pandemic on self and others, as well as lessons learned. Our study demonstrated that many RTs suffered moral distress, poor mental health, and some from challenging financial situations, especially those in the private sector. They also expressed a resilient attitude in response to these stressors. Implications in the future include identifying promising communication strategies that could act as protective factors, addressing workforce constraints and diminishing resources through innovative models of care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Saragosa
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada; (F.G.); (F.S.); (B.G.)
| | - Farwa Goraya
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada; (F.G.); (F.S.); (B.G.)
| | - Frances Serrano
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada; (F.G.); (F.S.); (B.G.)
- Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
| | - Behdin Nowrouzi-Kia
- Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1V7, Canada;
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Centre for Research in Occupational Safety & Health, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
| | - Sara Guilcher
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1V7, Canada;
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3M2, Canada;
| | - Yasmin Abdul Aziz
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3M2, Canada;
| | - Basem Gohar
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada; (F.G.); (F.S.); (B.G.)
- Centre for Research in Occupational Safety & Health, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
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McArthur C. Clinician's Commentary on Coleman et al. 1. Physiother Can 2024; 76:101-103. [PMID: 38465299 PMCID: PMC10919369 DOI: 10.3138/ptc-2021-0100-cc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin McArthur
- School of Physiotherapy, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada;
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Popova ES, J Hahn B, Morris H, Loomis K, Shy E, Andrews J, Iacullo M, Peters A. Exploring Well-Being: Resilience, Stress, and Self-Care in Occupational Therapy Practitioners and Students. OTJR-OCCUPATION PARTICIPATION AND HEALTH 2023; 43:159-169. [PMID: 35481402 DOI: 10.1177/15394492221091271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Burnout is increasingly documented in occupational therapy (OT); however, practitioner and student well-being have not been examined to date. The research aim was to explore the relationship between well-being, resilience, stress, and self-care in OT. For this purpose, a cross-sectional survey of practitioners and students was done, including a background survey, World Health Organization-5 Well-Being Index (WHO-5), Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Mindful Self-Care Scale (MSCS). Open-ended questions and Visual Analog Scales were used to gather satisfaction and service access. Practitioners (n = 235) and students (n = 200) reported well-being "less than half of the time" on the WHO-5, "moderate" stress on the PSS, and "normal" resilience on the BRS. The BRS, PSS, and MSCS explained a significant proportion of variance on the WHO-5 for practitioners and students. Most participants used at least one self-care strategy and desired additional organizational services. The findings of elevated stress and decreased well-being underscore the importance of reimagining wellness initiatives in OT.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Erin Shy
- Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
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Ito A, Sawamura D, Kajimura S, Miyaguchi H, Nakamura H, Ishioka T. Quality of therapy and mental health among occupational therapists during the COVID-19 pandemic. Front Public Health 2022; 10:1053703. [PMID: 36589988 PMCID: PMC9799253 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1053703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has had a severe psychological impact on occupational therapists. Clarifying the mental health status of occupational therapists and its relationship with therapy quality is essential for maintaining the quality of care and patients' quality of life. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate whether and how mental health problems are related to the quality of occupational therapy. Methods A nationwide cross-sectional online survey was conducted during Japan's second national state of emergency (January 2021). A total of 4,418 registered occupational therapists who were members of the Japanese Association of Occupational Therapists participated in this study. After screening for the exclusion criteria, data from 1,966 participants were analyzed. Results Path analysis showed that insufficient information provision by the workplace and increased workload were associated with depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Specifically, depression was associated with decreased therapy quality. Furthermore, one's therapy quality showed a strong positive correlation with colleagues' therapy quality. Discussion These results demonstrated a direct link between therapists' mental health conditions and therapy quality and suggested that decreased therapy quality might occur at the institutional rather than individual level. A reassessment of the support system and prompt detection and support for professionals with psychological symptoms may be the key to enhancing therapy quality and patients' quality of life. The present results contribute to the understanding of these relationships, considering the current pandemic context for occupational therapists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayahito Ito
- Research Institute for Future Design, Kochi University of Technology, Kochi, Japan,Department of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom,Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan,*Correspondence: Ayahito Ito
| | - Daisuke Sawamura
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan,Daisuke Sawamura
| | - Shogo Kajimura
- Faculty of Information and Human Sciences, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hideki Miyaguchi
- Department of Human Behavior Science of Occupational Therapy, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Haruki Nakamura
- Japanese Association of Occupational Therapists, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshiyuki Ishioka
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Saitama Prefectural University, Saitama, Japan,Toshiyuki Ishioka
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Sawamura D, Ito A, Miyaguchi H, Nakamura H, Ishioka T. Different Impacts of COVID-19 on Quality of Therapy, Psychological Condition, and Work Life Among Occupational Therapists in Physical and Mental Health Fields. Front Public Health 2022; 10:887069. [PMID: 35719669 PMCID: PMC9204004 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.887069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The negative impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have worsened the quality of therapy, psychological condition, and work life of second-line healthcare workers and occupational therapists (OTs). However, no study has investigated whether the impact of COVID-19 varies among OTs working in different fields. This study aimed to investigate the differences on the impact of COVID-19 between OTs in the physical and mental health fields. Methods A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in Japan between January 20 and January 25, 2021. A total of 4,418 registered OTs who were members of the Japanese Association of Occupational Therapists volunteered for this study. After screening using the exclusion criteria, 1,383 participants were classified into two groups based on their field (mental health and physical health), and their quality of therapy, psychological condition, and work life were analyzed. Results OTs in the mental health field showed a greater decrease in therapy quality and increase in workload and a lower rate of decrease in working hours than those in the physical health field. In the multinomial logistic regression analysis, decreased and increased therapy quality and decreased therapy quality were significantly associated with depression in the physical health field, and decreased therapy quality was associated with insomnia in the mental health field. Furthermore, insomnia and anxiety were commonly associated with increased workload and working hours, respectively, in both fields, whereas anxiety and depression were associated with increased workload only in the physical health field. Conclusions These results demonstrate that COVID-19 differently impacted quality of treatment, workload, work time, and psychological condition in the physical and mental health fields; moreover, the relationships among these are different in these two fields. These results highlight the importance of investigating the field-specific negative impacts of COVID-19 on OTs and may provide helpful information for devising tailored and effective prevention and intervention strategies to address these challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Sawamura
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- *Correspondence: Daisuke Sawamura
| | - Ayahito Ito
- Research Institute for Future Design, Kochi University of Technology, Kochi, Japan
- Ayahito Ito
| | - Hideki Miyaguchi
- Department of Human Behavior Science of Occupational Therapy, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Haruki Nakamura
- Japanese Association of Occupational Therapists, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshiyuki Ishioka
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Saitama Prefectural University, Koshigaya, Japan
- Toshiyuki Ishioka
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