Abstract
This study looked at occupational therapists working in Wales and examined the possibilities and constraints of their developing a role in health promotion. The study focused on occupational therapists who worked with elderly people as part of their patient/client group. This client group was chosen because the elderly population is continuing to rise, elderly people constitute one of the main client groups for occupational therapists and almost half of Government spending on health and social services is spent on people aged over 65 years.
On the whole, the 76 (76%) occupational therapists who responded were shown to have a mixed attitude towards health promotion, with some considering it a luxury and others an important part of their role. Several constraints were identified as affecting the development of the occupational therapist's role in health promotion. The main constraint was the pressure of work through limitations on time, funding and resources.
The implications of these findings for occupational therapy and health promotion are discussed. It is argued that occupational therapists practising in Wales need to develop their role as health advocates and give greater consideration to the broader issues of community development.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.