Date Presented 04/05/19
This presentation will highlight the current national context for activism in marginalized communities and summarize the findings of a scoping review examining its impact on the health and well-being of people who engage in activism. Finally, this session will provide strategies for OTs to apply these findings in their daily practice.
Primary Author and Speaker: Jenny Martinez
Additional Authors and Speakers: Loralei Bingamon
PURPOSE AND RATIONALE: Inequity has been a consistent issue of socio-political significance in the United States and across the world. In response, activist movements to secure equal opportunities and equal rights for individuals from marginalized populations have been well documented across various dimensions (e.g., disability status, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation). In the last few years, conversations around disparity and discrimination have gathered renewed national attention. Occupational therapy itself has a long history of activism and a core belief that individuals have the right to participate in occupations that are meaningful and sustain their health and quality of life. 1 To this end, understanding activism as an occupation and its relationship to health is essential for occupational therapy practice that is timely and culturally responsive. Although previous research has investigated social transformation,2 the evidence linking activism to health outcomes and defining its integration into the profession is limited.
DESIGN: Scoping Review
METHODS: We conducted a scoping review of the literature to explore activism as occupation. The search was conducted on PubMed, CINAHL, and ProQuest databases. Initial keywords included in the search included activism, community, oppression, health, disparity, with the guidance of a research librarian, a final research strategy was created and implemented.
ANALYSIS AND RESULTS: The initial sample was screened for eligibility. Articles published within the last 10 years (i.e., 2008-2018) were included. This review was limited to studies that were written in English, published in peer-reviewed journals, and discussed activism’s relationship to health.
From the final article samples, we identified a range of motivations for engaging in activism as well as the varied health-related benefits of becoming an activist. Activism primarily impacted mental health outcomes including self-efficacy, leadership, community building, and a sense of belonging. In addition, activism could result in improved access to resources and health promoting opportunities for oneself and the community as a result of successful advocacy efforts (e.g., building a park or successfully obtaining funding for community projects). Lastly, we distinguish activism from similar terms such as advocate, ally, and organizing.
CONCLUSION: The findings from this review demonstrate the unique impact that activism has on those who become advocates, thereby supporting the need to further discuss activism in the context of occupation. Our findings offer a sound foundation for further research and interventions that continue to investigate activism and its alignment with occupational therapy principles. More specifically, our findings are a valuable asset to further discussion about occupational justice, advocacy, and services to communities that commonly experience marginalization and discrimination, further enhancing occupational therapy’s reach and value.
IMPACT STATEMENT AND RELATION TO RESEARCH PRIORITIES: Occupational therapy theory and practice that thoughtfully responds to the needs of diverse and marginalized populations is essential if occupational therapy is to continue to thrive. The findings from this study offer a clear link between the current socio-political context, growing unrest, activism activities, and health. Further efforts to build upon our findings and apply them to practice can have a significant positive impact on enhancing access to health promoting occupations, building community capacity, and responding to the needs of marginalized communities in a culturally sensitive way, thereby enhancing occupational therapy’s distinct value.
References
1. Stadnyk, R., Townsend, E., & Wilcock, A. (2010). Occupational justice. In C. H. Christiansen & E. A. Townsend (Eds.), Introduction to occupation: The art and science of living (2nd ed., pp. 329 358). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
2. Frank, G., Muriithi, B. A. K., (2015). Theorising social transformation in Occupational Science: The American civil rights movement and South African struggle against apartheid as ‘occupational reconstructions’. South African Journal of Occupational Therapy, (45)1.
