Awareness and Knowledge about Occupational Therapy in Jordan

Knowledgeandawarenessaboutoccupationaltherapy(OT)areessentialforthedeliveryofqualitycaretoallclientsandfor occupationaltherapists’(OTRs)jobsatisfaction.OThasbeenapoorlyunderstoodprofessioninJordan.Thecurrentstudy reportsontheassessmentofJordanians’awarenessandknowledgeofoccupationaltherapy.Conveniencesamplingwasused. Therewere829participants(474males,355females),withmeanageof32±11.6yrs.Theywererecruitedfromthethreemain geographicalareasofJordan(northern,central,andsouthern)andfromalleducationallevels.Thesampleincluded222(26.8%) healthcarepersonnel,146(17.6%)clients,and461(55.6%)laypersons.Participantscompletedquestionnaires,andtheresults revealedthat48%ofthesamplehadpoorornoknowledgeaboutOT,while28.3%wereunawareofit.Also,OTwascommonly (50%)perceivedtobeexclusivelytargetingpeoplewithdisabilities(PWDs)andneurologicalandphysicalconditions(58%and 53%,resp.)inadditiontoexclusivelyprovidingservicesfortherehabilitationoftheupperextremity(48%).Common misconceptionsassociatedwithOTwerethatOTRsprescribemedication(43%)andOTRsarephysiotherapists(44%).These preliminaryfindingssuggestthateffortsneedtobedirectedbyOTRs,theJordanianSocietyofOccupationalTherapy(JSOT), andtheMinistryofHealthtopreservetheOTidentityandvalueandpromoteknowledgeaboutOTinthepublicandamong membersofinterdisciplinaryteams.Moreinterprofessionallearningneedstobeincorporatedwithinthecurriculaand placementsofallhealthcarepersonnels