Professional practices in occupational therapy, health and work: a scope review

Abstract

Objective: To map and characterize the state of the art of scientific productions on the practice of occupational therapy in health and work. Method: Scope review guided by the guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute and presented according to the PRISMA ScR guideline. The review protocol was registered on the OSF platform. The search for articles was conducted in five electronic databases: BVS, PubMed, Scielo, CINAHL, and Scopus, covering the period from January 2014 to March 2024. Results: The final sample consisted of 22 articles. The country with the highest number of publications was Canada (7), the predominant language used for manuscript writing was English (16), and most publications occurred in 2015. Regarding the practices, they mostly involve individual and group actions in the workplace and can be carried out in different contexts, such as hospitals, specialized services, public and private clinics, and the work environment. Conclusion:There is still a challenge regarding the contribution and identity constitution of occupational therapists working at the interface between health and work. Additionally, understanding what constitutes a model, theoreticalmethodological basis, and intervention goal is crucial to avoid confusion or overlapping with the characterization of the actual practices performed.