Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Occupational Therapy

Copyright Statement

All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of Nova Southeastern University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.

Department

College of Health Care Sciences – Occupational Therapy Department

First Advisor

Wendy Stav

Date of original Performance / Presentation

2016

Publication Date / Copyright Date

11-14-2016

Publisher

Nova Southeastern University

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the types and patterns of occupational therapy services implemented with clients who are cancer survivors, which utilized a mixed methods approach, specifically an explanatory sequential design. The Occupational Therapy Practice Inventory (OTPI) was used to gather information regarding the type and patterns of occupational therapy services provided for clients receiving oncology care. The results of the OTPI were analyzed and used to further develop semi-structured questions for exploring the perspectives of occupational therapy practitioners who practice in the area of oncology in the United States. The data were analyzed to generate a portrayal of occupational therapy practice in oncology settings and examine factors that may be predictors for certain practice approaches. Frequency data indicated that interventions related to activities of daily living were performed most frequently. Phi coefficient indicated strong positive relationships with multiple components of the OTPI. Analysis of the qualitative results were completed by following the principles of grounded theory The data yielded one central phenomenon identified as wanting to provide the best care. Providing the best care was influenced by internal aspects and the external aspects of therapist. The integration of both qualitative and quantitative data supported the findings that interventions, most specifically activities of daily, were the most frequently indicated and discussed services provided by occupational therapy practitioners for cancer survivors in the Northeast, Midwest, and South. The practice of client-centered care and an occupation-based intervention strategy across the continuum of care for individuals who are cancer survivors was supported by the results.

Disciplines

Occupational Therapy

Keywords

Health and environmental sciences, Cancer survivor, Mixed methods, Oncology

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