Exploring Intermediate Students' Awareness and Interest in Occupational Therapy as a Career Choice
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Occupational Therapy (OT) plays a crucial role in the healthcare system, aiding individuals of all ages to regain or maintain their independence and improve their quality of life. Despite its importance, there is a noted gap in awareness and interest among students, particularly in regions like Peshawar, Pakistan, where the understanding of OT's scope and career potential appears limited.
Objective: This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge, awareness, and interest among high school students (pre-medical) in Peshawar regarding Occupational Therapy as a career choice, and to compare these insights with existing perceptions of OT as a field.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 160 high school students preparing for medical entrance examinations in Peshawar, using a validated questionnaire that encompassed demographic details, knowledge, awareness, and interest in OT. The questionnaire was structured into three parts, featuring both open and closed-ended questions. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25.0, focusing on descriptive statistics to summarize demographics, knowledge levels, and interest in OT.
Results: The majority of participants (65%) exhibited an average knowledge about OT, with 29.7% having poor knowledge and only 5.3% showing good knowledge. Interest in OT as a career was low, with only 17.5% of the participants expressing a desire to pursue OT in the future. Misconceptions about OT were prevalent, with 65% of respondents mistakenly identifying OT as a branch of psychiatry and a substantial number underestimating the scope of OT practice.
Conclusion: The study revealed a moderate understanding and a generally low interest among pre-medical students in Peshawar towards OT as a career choice. There is a critical need for enhanced educational efforts and awareness campaigns to clarify the role and scope of OT and to foster a greater appreciation for the profession among potential future healthcare professionals.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
Arif S, Iqbal J, Sciences UK-FJ of S, 2019 undefined. Factors influencing students’ choices of academic career in Pakistan. Acad Arif, J Iqbal, U KhalilFWU J Soc Sci 2019•academia.edu [Internet]. [cited 2023 Dec 21]; Available from: https://www.academia.edu/download/75275094/4.Published.pdf
Hassan M, Luo Y, Gu J, Mushtaque I, Rizwan M. Investigating the Parental and Media Influence on Gender Stereotypes and Young Student’s Career Choices in Pakistan. Front Psychol. 2022 Jun 28;13:890680.
Pasha A, Siddiqui DA. Factors Influencing Professional Selection Choices: Evidence from Pakistan. SSRN Electron J [Internet]. 2020 Jul 2 [cited 2024 Jan 14]; Available from: https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=3641642
Serrata-Malfitano AP, Monzeli GA, Bardi G, Esquerdo-Lopes R, Serrata-Malfitano AP, Monzeli GA, et al. Scope of Occupational Therapy postgraduate degrees around the world. Rev la Fac Med [Internet]. 2018 Jul 1 [cited 2024 Jan 14];66(3):335–41. Available from: http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0120-00112018000300335&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en
About Occupational Therapy | WFOT [Internet]. [cited 2024 Jan 17]. Available from: https://wfot.org/about/about-occupational-therapy
Olaoye OA, Emechete AAI, Onigbinde AT, Mbada CE. Awareness and Knowledge of Occupational Therapy among Nigerian Medical and Health Sciences Undergraduates. https://doi.org/101016/j.hkjot201602001 [Internet]. 2016 May 5 [cited 2023 Dec 21];27:1–6. Available from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1016/j.hkjot.2016.02.001
Kannenberg K, Bondoc S, … CB-… : AJ of, 2015 undefined. Standards of practice for occupational therapy. go.gale.comK Kannenberg, S Bond C Boop, MP Gronski, K Kearney, M Neville, JM Powell, J DorseyAJOT Am J Occup Ther 2015•go.gale.com [Internet]. [cited 2023 Dec 21]; Available from: https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA439834062&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=02729490&p=HRCA&sw=w
About Occupational Therapy | WFOT [Internet]. [cited 2023 Dec 21]. Available from: https://wfot.org/about/about-occupational-therapy
EBSCOhost | 143041171 | Occupational Therapy in the Promotion of Health and Well-Being. [Internet]. [cited 2023 Dec 21]. Available from: https://web.s.ebscohost.com/abstract?direct=true&profile=ehost&scope=site&authtype=crawler&jrnl=02729490&AN=143041171&h=zk3XLyV%2BI5bbdaV9qsUGtjx9akdYcJwgqXNLRWY7tZ0dFxk89C%2Fs%2FcgHN4VHqjShREx9HZ%2BNf58zIddj16aN0g%3D%3D&crl=c&resultNs=AdminWebAuth&resultLocal=ErrCrlNotAuth&crlhashurl=login.aspx%3Fdirect%3Dtrue%26profile%3Dehost%26scope%3Dsite%26authtype%3Dcrawler%26jrnl%3D02729490%26AN%3D143041171
Fraser K, MacKenzie D, Versnel J. What is the Current State of Occupational Therapy Practice with Children and Adolescents with Complex Trauma? Occup Ther Ment Heal [Internet]. 2019 Oct 2 [cited 2023 Dec 21];35(4):317–38. Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0164212X.2019.1652132
Grandisson M, Rajotte É, Godin J, Chrétien-Vincent M, Milot É, Desmarais C. Autism spectrum disorder: How can occupational therapists support schools? Can J Occup Ther [Internet]. 2020 Feb 1 [cited 2023 Dec 21];87(1):30–41. Available from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0008417419838904
Laverdure P, Beisbier S. Occupation- and Activity-Based Interventions to Improve Performance of Activities of Daily Living, Play, and Leisure for Children and Youth Ages 5 to 21: A Systematic Review. Am J Occup Ther [Internet]. 2021 Jan 1 [cited 2023 Dec 21];75(1):7501205050p1–24. Available from: /ajot/article/75/1/7501205050p1/8396/Occupation-and-Activity-Based-Interventions-to
Papageorgiou N, Marquis R, Dare J, Batten R. Occupational Therapy and Occupational Participation in Community Dwelling Older Adults: A Review of the Evidence. Phys Occup Ther Geriatr [Internet]. 2016 Jan 2 [cited 2024 Jan 14];34(1):21–42. Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/02703181.2015.1109014
Kim D. The Effects of a Recollection-Based Occupational Therapy Program of Alzheimer’s Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Occup Ther Int. 2020;2020.
Rahja M, Laver K. What does the Australian public know about occupational therapy for older people? A population survey. Aust Occup Ther J [Internet]. 2019 Aug 1 [cited 2023 Dec 21];66(4):511–8. Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1440-1630.12578
Alotaibi NM, Manee FS, Murphy LJ, Rassafiani M. Knowledge about and Attitudes of Interdisciplinary Team Members toward Occupational Therapy Practice: Implications and Future Directions. Med Princ Pract [Internet]. 2019 May 7 [cited 2023 Dec 21];28(2):158–66. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000495915
Usher R, Stapleton T. Occupational therapy and decision-making capacity assessment: A survey of practice in Ireland. Aust Occup Ther J [Internet]. 2020 Apr 1 [cited 2023 Dec 21];67(2):110–20. Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1440-1630.12629
Henderson P, Batten R, Richmond J. Perceptions of the Role of Occupational Therapy in Community Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Occup Ther Ment Heal [Internet]. 2015 Apr 3 [cited 2023 Dec 21];31(2):155–67. Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0164212X.2015.1035475
(PDF) An Investigation into Medical Practitioners’ Awareness of Occupational Therapy in South India: A Survey [Internet]. [cited 2023 Dec 21]. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335832915_An_Investigation_into_Medical_Practitioners’_Awareness_of_Occupational_Therapy_in_South_India_A_Survey
Imran N, Chaudry MR, Azeem MW, Bhatti MR, Choudhary ZI, Cheema MA. A survey of Autism knowledge and attitudes among the healthcare professionals in Lahore, Pakistan. BMC Pediatr. 2011 Nov 22;11(1):1–6.
Darawsheh WB. Awareness and knowledge about occupational therapy in Jordan. Occup Ther Int. 2018;2018.
Wan Yunus F, Ahmad Ridhuwan NF, Romli MH. The Perception of Allied Health Professionals on Occupational Therapy. Occup Ther Int. 2022;2022.
Nadeem W, Shahid Z, Ijaz M, … UM-RM, 2021 undefined. Perception of intermediate college students about physical therapy as a profession in Lahore, Pakistan. rmj.org.pkW Nadeem, Z Shahid, M Ijaz, U Maqsood, HS ArshadRawal Med Journal, 2021•rmj.org.pk [Internet]. [cited 2024 Jan 17]; Available from: https://www.rmj.org.pk/fulltext/27-1569995332.pdf
Yunus FW, … NAR-OT, 2022 undefined. The Perception of Allied Health Professionals on Occupational Therapy. hindawi.com [Internet]. [cited 2022 Sep 25]; Available from: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/oti/2022/2588902/
Franz S, Muser J, Thielhorn U, Wallesch CW, Behrens J. Inter-professional communication and interaction in the neurological rehabilitation team: a literature review. Disabil Rehabil [Internet]. 2020 May 21 [cited 2024 Jan 18];42(11):1607–15. Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09638288.2018.1528634
Darawsheh WB. Awareness and knowledge about occupational therapy in Jordan. Occup Ther Int. 2018;2018.
Mani K, Therapy MV-TIJ of O, 2020 undefined. An investigation into medical practitioners’ awareness of occupational therapy in South India: A survey. journals.lww.com [Internet]. [cited 2024 Jan 19]; Available from: https://journals.lww.com/iopt/_layouts/15/oaks.journals/downloadpdf.aspx?an=00426538-202052010-00004
Alotaibi N, Shayea A, Nadar M, Tariah HA. Investigation into health science students’ awareness of occupational therapy: Implications for interprofessional education. J Allied Health. 2015;44(1):3–9.