Date Presented 03/22/24
Occupational therapists address pain across the lifespan and in every practice setting. This presentation will describe a national study examining pain curricula in entry-level OT programs and discuss implications for academia and clinical practice.
Primary Author and Speaker: John V. Rider
Additional Authors and Speakers: Vicki Khau, Kristin A. Valdes
PURPOSE: Pain is a significant public health issue. Occupational therapists evaluate and treat pain across the lifespan and in all practice settings. This study aimed to examine pain curricula in entry-level OT programs in the United States.
DESIGN: This cross-sectional study used a 23-question survey administered through Qualtrics.
METHOD: The survey was sent to all program directors of entry-level master’s and doctoral OT programs and advertised via social media.
RESULTS: A total of 41 institutions across the U.S. completed the survey. The average total instructional time devoted to pain content was 9.68 hours, ranging from 1 to 30 hours, with an average of 4.89 hours of lecture and 5.05 hours of lab time. An average of 2.82 hours was devoted to pain assessment methods and 3 hours to intervention approaches. Most programs integrated pain content throughout the curriculum. Only one program utilized a specific pain curriculum. A wide variety of assessments and intervention approaches were taught. Overall, 25 faculty thought the current amount and type of pain education was insufficient, 13 thought it was sufficient, and three preferred not to answer. Most faculty felt more time was needed, specifically in the last year of school and surrounding chronic pain and intervention approaches. Suggested additions to the curriculum included using a standardized curriculum, increasing standardized patient experiences, chronic pain case studies, guest lectures from pain experts and individuals with lived experiences, and more emphasis on OTs unique role in pain management.
CONCLUSION: Education on pain varies across entry-level OT programs, and many faculty believe more preparation is needed for entry-level practitioners to be competent in helping clients manage pain.
IMPACT STATEMENT: Pain is a significant and growing concern, and OTs play a major role in biopsychosocial assessment and treatment. Yet, education on pain varies significantly across entry-level OT programs.
References
American Occupational Therapy Association (2021). Role of occupational therapy in pain management. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 75(Supplement_3), 7513410010. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2021.75S3001
Rider, J. V., & Tay, M. C. (2022). Increasing occupational engagement by addressing psychosocial and occupational factors of chronic pain: A case report. The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy, 10(3), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.15453/2168-6408.2027
Reyes, A. N., & Brown, C. A. (2016). Occupational therapists’ pain knowledge: A national survey. Disability and Rehabilitation, 38(13), 1309–1317. https://doi.org/10.3109/09638288.2015.1090486
Shipton, E., Steketee, C., & Visser, E. (2023). The Pain Medicine Curriculum Framework-structured integration of pain medicine education into the medical curriculum. Frontiers in Pain Research, 3, 1057114. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2022.1057114
